The Blue Werewolf II: The True Hearted
by Kenjaje
Summary: For a year, Lilo and Stitch have kept the secret of his being a werewolf tight. However, as the day of Halloween draws near, Stitch's emotions begin to turn. Is it something that has to do with his werewolf side, or could it be the new guest in the house?
1. A Year Later

The Blue Werewolf

Part II: The True Hearted

C/By: Kenjaje

Edited by: raVen

Chapter 1: A Year Later

October 28: 10:44 PM: Rooftop

Night settled quickly and yet slowly over the island; a gentle fog had rolled in from the day's rain. However, above the low fog raised a small tower, connected to a very unique house, and upon the roof of that tower, sat a very unique, blue-furred creature, gazing up at the stars.

"Looking at the moon again, Stitch?" Softly asked the cheerful voice of his friend. She came through the skylight hatch; her feet were supported by a gravity lift, after an accident that occurred the last time they were getting up to the roof by that method. She balanced a bowl of ice cream in her right hand and a spoon in her left.

"Uh huh." He replied, averting his gaze toward her. She smiled and set the bowl down.

"I could only bring one up at a time." She explained unnecessarily, as she went back through to get the other.

"Isa oketaka, Stitch not hungry." He said after she disappeared.

"Well then I guess I'll have to eat both," she spoke in a light-hearted voice, which grew louder and sharper as she came up through the hatch again. She stepped off the platform which raised her and walked over and sat down next to him, taking a spoonful of mint-chocolate chip and eating it.

She looked at the scenery beneath and above her without words for a moment. It was like being in the sky, between clouds; the fog on the ground gave the illusion that they were much higher up than they really were. She felt a little dizzy.

"So…" She began, to get some talk from her friend, "Are you going werewolf when the time comes? It's Halloween, after all...makes it extra fun."

"Nabata-ista." He replied, looking back at her again. She smiled.

"Tonight would be a great time to start. But the moon's not quite full yet…" She looked up at the sky, where the giant pearl sat, gibbously gleaming at them. She tired to guess it at a little under three quarters full. "Maybe it's close enough…at least for a little bit of change."

"Naga tooka." He said, turning down her idea. "At least…not now." She looked at her friend with sympathy, and reached over to stroke his shoulder. He looked at her, a little uneasily, but didn't do anything to stop her actions—didn't _want _to do anything.

"I understand," She said, "just as long as you don't stop acting like yourself. I know it's odd to be a werewolf and all…and I know sometimes, while the moon's like this—before its full—you sometimes seem to get…restless."

"Restless?" He repeated.

"It's been a long year, hasn't it?" She said rhetorically, changing the subject with a spoonful of ice cream. He lied back and closed his eyes.

"Eh." He agreed. "Still no cure."

"Cheer up." She said, nudging his stomach with the handle of her spoon. The moon was abruptly covered by a dark, hazy cloud, which blocked its light. "Someday we'll find a cure. Besides…you kind of have a cure already. You can _choose _when you want to 'go werewolf', so at least you're not like those crazy ones that those brave camera men capture on film for our entertainment." She spoke with optimism, referring to many movies she had seen.

"Stitch still not understand why…" He said with a musing tone.

"Cause you're Stitch!" She said enthusiastically, setting the bowl aside and lying next to him. "And plus…you're a different werewolf altogether. You're not like that one in the story that attacks people who get lost in the woods at night, or on T.V. who keeps scaring people in their sleep; you're a lot nicer than I was expecting…considering all that damage you caused to the house last year." She turned around and sat up again, looking his face over. "To be kind of honest…I like you being a werewolf, a little bit." She admitted a little afraid of his reaction.

"Stitch like too, sometimes." He said, getting up. "Is different, like another Stitch." He pranced across the roof, toward the edge, where he paused and looked at the moon again. "Like Superman, or Batman...secret identity. Only Stitch and Lilo know."

"That's another thing I like; it's kind of our little secret." She commented, standing to face him. He turned around, a gust of wind ruffling his ears. The light of the moon came through the clouds above.

"Stitch feels stronger, even when not werewolf. Helps win against Gantu."

"He still can't figure out what's going on!" She giggled.

"Stitch faster, Stitch smarter, Stitch better!"

"You've always been awesome." She told him, making her way to where he was. The rooftop was covered in darkness again, making Lilo step hesitantly. Stitch put out his hand and kept her from going too far.

"Eh…" he replied, with a loss of enthusiasm. "But at same time," he paused while she petted his head, "seems bad."

"How so? You never talked about it like that before…" In truth they rarely spoke of it's pros and cons at all.

"Like Lilo said…Stitch getting…restless. Maybe is bad? Maybe Stitch slowly losing control?"

"Don't say that." She said with a slight plea. "If you do, you just might."

"And what about if Stitch bite Lilo?" He pondered. "Stitch been _very _careful, but could happen on accident." Lilo looked down, without an answer. "Then is cure…Stitch and Lilo can't find one…"

"Except for…silver." She pointed out; "But that's only for killing werewolves…" She said with a little shudder.

He gave her a quick glance, the moonlight shimmering across his eyes for a moment as it peeked out behind the clouds again. Then, he flipped backward to the center of the roof. "But maybe…is all in Stitch's head."

"If you ask me, I think it is." She said moving toward his new location. He smiled comfortably. "It's almost been a year…are you used to it now?" She asked, for she was still unsure of his sensitivity on the subject.

"Eh…but Lilo knew that." He told her reassuringly.

"Well then…how would you feel if there was no cure…would you go to Jumba then?" Stitch paused at her unexpected question.

"Naga nota," was the only thing he could say. He stared down at the bowl of ice cream at his feet. Lilo sat beside him again. He picked up the spoon in the bowl, and began swirling the slightly melted portion of it against the edges, marooning the frozen clumps to the center of the bowl. "…Thanks." He said suddenly.

"You're welcome—except, we were out of chocolate chips."

"Not ice cream." He told her.

"Yes it is." She said, not aware of what he was trying to say.

"Naga. Thanks…but not for ice cream." He clarified.

"Then…thanks for what?" The moon hid itself again, causing her to move a little closer to him. He took a bit of the slush in his spoon and brought it to his mouth.

"Lots." He said simply, a billion things on his mind. She'd done a lot of things with him since he became the howler to the moon: she'd watched his back and kept an eye out for anything that would help them find a cure, for one thing, though there wasn't much. They'd tried many experiments, mostly involving garlic, which gave him tremendous headaches, so they stopped eventually.

Another: she kept the secret well. She was very loyal to it too; if anything, he slipped up more times than she, and she even covered him when he did. He'd never asked her to keep it quiet, nor to even be concerned about it. She more or less assumed her part as though she were obligated, which made him feel sort of sad, actually. He would rather she not know, then she wouldn't worry so much.

On occasion she would come with him, when he was fully changed. She would ride on his back while he exhausted his energy running through the woods; an alternate medium to the destruction he'd caused the year before, which was much more costly. And then she would tell him how fun it was, even though it wasn't truly supposed to be "fun".

But most importantly, she generally treated him the same, as if nothing had happened. They still caught experiments—that was the same, and it was even easier too, because of the obvious. Somehow, she managed to turn what was supposed to be a curse, into almost what seemed like a pastime.

"I hope you weren't _planning _on wearing that…" She said, interrupting his thoughts.

"Gaba?" He looked down at his stomach. The bowl was resting on his knees, and it was slightly tilted, the soup of the ice cream dripped onto his coat. "Ah tachoota!" He moaned, standing up to prevent any more from getting on him. He scrubbed at his stomach, and ate it from his hands, until finally the sticky feeling went away. He picked up the bowl and drank the rest of the soup, now that he had acquired the appetite for it.

She took the bowl from his hand after the last drop popped on his tongue before he had a chance to blink. She smiled, putting his bowl with hers, and adding both the spoons to the stack.

"I'll be right back." She told him, stepping onto the platform and going back through the skylight, taking the bowls with her. And just like that it was quiet again where he sat alone on the roof. The moon timidly peeked out in the sky, shining down on him.

"_Maybe I will." _He thought. _"There's no harm in it. I'm still in control of the curse; _I'm _the one that decides when it comes out after all." _He stood to his feet, staring up at the moon. He moaned as though he was nauseated, slightly swaying forward and back. He kept the moon in his sights, as the curse elicited.

A few moments later, she returned, and stepped onto the gravity lift which had carried her from the floor to the skylight. But when she pressed the button on the floor-panel with her toe, it didn't move.

"Ah man…" She groaned, rolling her eyes. "Jumba's really gotta work with this one." She grumbled, stepping off of it and moving to her bed. She climbed up onto the mattress, turned, and stared up at the skylight. She took a deep breath and, with a count to three, jumped toward the hole in the roof. She caught it with her fingers, barely holding on. She pulled up, but didn't get far, her arms falling back and her elbows locking again. It was that first accident all over again.

"Stitch, can you help me?" She asked with a strenuous voice. But after a few seconds, there was no response. "Stitch!" She called, "I can't hold on!" She glanced back up, and saw a face staring down at her that was different yet familiar. He stood over the hole, his head and hand were leaning in, his arm was stretching out, shagged and ruffled with unkempt fur. She grabbed onto his fingers with one hand, and grabbed on to his forearm with the other. Effortlessly, he lifted her up, and set her down on the rooftop. She smiled, noting the changes: shaggier hair, longer claws, smaller eyes and the hint of a snout.

"I knew you couldn't resist." She teased, leaning over and scratching his chin.


	2. Innocent?

The Blue Werewolf

Part II: The True Hearted

C/By: Kenjaje

Edited by: raVen

Chapter 2: Innocent?

October 29: 11:14 AM: Tower Bedroom

Lilo's eyes fluttered open as she began to stir. She swallowed the string of spit that had been leaking out of the corner of her mouth and wiped her lips with her arm and gazed about the room. The clock read fifteen after, and she wondered how she slept through the alarm. Not bothering to worry about it, she looked across the room.

"Stitch?" She called, but he wasn't around. Her stomach began to growl. "I'm starving." She told herself, and slid out of bed. The cold metal of the elevator sent shivers through her legs and toes. She stepped off the metal as it rested on the second story onto the soft wooden floor, popping her toes at the joints to help warm them up again. Without much noise she walked down the hall, passing her bedroom door. She didn't even pay attention to how it was strangely wide open; ever since she and Stitch migrated to the third floor, her room had been closed, and rarely ever opened.

"There you are!" Lilo said, as she came down the stairs, spotting Stitch on the couch in front of the T.V., watching early-morning cartoons. "Wow, you're up early," she commented, going into the kitchen, "I figured I'd be up before you."

"Stitch woke up while ago, let Lilo sleep in." He replied, flipping through the channels while his cartoon was on a commercial break.

"I don't even remember falling asleep." She told him, her voice slightly louder over the sound of fumbling noises coming from the kitchen. "Are you hungry?" She asked as she poured her cereal.

"Naga." He replied, stopping at the news. Lilo then came into the living room and plopped down on the couch, next to him.

"You're boring, watching the news." She said sarcastically.

"And this just in," said the anchorwoman, as a small packet of stapled papers was handed to her from someone off-camera, "strange destruction has been uncovered all over—." At her groan, Stitch flipped the channel, but she shifted alarmingly and told him to go back.

"Gaba?" Stitch asked. "Lilo said news bori—."

"Just change it back!" Heeding her, he did, catching the scene of a reporter standing before a mountain of broken boards and debris. The male reporter's voice began to fade in slowly as the news unraveled the scene:

"… What was once left of this quiet little market stand, is now in ruins. We have yet to determine what the cause of this massive devastation is, but police are guessing vandalism; however, the owner of the market-stand has quite another theory." The camera switched to a very elderly-looking man, short in stature, standing, rather leaning forward on his knees with large, thick glasses. He wore an orange shirt with black leaves, and very ratty looking shorts. His voice was rather innocent when he spoke, as if he was not sure where he was.

"I was here, last night, because I," the old man hesitated, trying to think, "I believe I forgot to lock the safe, or maybe it was…well," he scratched his chin, his eyes gazing to upward and to the left, "I can't exactly remember," he said innocently, shrugging his shoulders and lifting his large bushy eyebrows, "but, I came back here to check on something, when I heard this strange growling noise. I went to investigate, and I saw what looked like a very large dog. I don't remember much after that…I could swear I've been bit but I didn't find any injuries." The camera cut back to the male reporter.

"A strange case indeed," he commented. "But, police have found something creditable to the man's story; right behind me," he began to walk, the camera following, "you'll notice this plank of wood has, what seems to be, bite marks on the edge of it…"

Lilo's eyes moved steadily toward Stitch, who was watching the television intently, until he noticed her stare in the corner of his eye. They continued to listen to the story as it rolled; Lilo wondered what he was thinking, he stared back at her wondering the same thing. Her eyes seemed to accuse him, and his eyes seemed between guilty and wondering if he actually _did _do it. But he couldn't have done it; he _knew _he didn't do it.

"Stitch naga." He told her softly, as the story ended. But his tone made it seem like he was unsure of himself, as if he doubted himself. Lilo's eyes narrowed, not sure what to think. "Honest!" He protested, urging his innocence. "Lilo naga creta." He said with a sigh, dropping his ears and looking down at his feet. Her eyelids drooped and she put a hand on his shoulder.

"Of course I believe you." She told him with a comforting shake. "I know you know better than that. And besides, you've been a good werewolf all year long, why should you start being destructive now?" She slurped down the milk that pooled in her bowl and set it aside on the couch. "And plus that pile of wood totally wasn't your style." She joked, trying to cheer him up. "It was all stacked up and looked too orderly; you'd have probably thrown it all across town if you did it." Stitch smiled, accepting her words. She smiled back and took her bowl into the kitchen.

"Maybe we should go down there and have a look. If you didn't cause all that trouble, then that means—" She paused, realizing what she was about to say. She turned around and ran to the stairs. "We have to hurry; there might be a clue!" She yelled, running down the hall to her room to get changed.

"Gaba?" Stitch asked, idly following her and stopping at the elevator. "What does Lilo mean?" He asked, shouting through the shaft.

"That other werewolf, the one that I saw and that you fended off last year; it could have been what that old man saw!" She yelled, coming down from the third floor.

"Lilo still think that werewolf that bit Stitch still here?" He asked, as she pulled his arm.

"I'm almost sure of it! Maybe if we find something, _anything_, we can use Jumba's equipment to analyze it." She spoke, all while running down the stairs and throwing open the door. "If we can find out who bit you, maybe we can find out some other things—like why you're able to transform on nights when the moon isn't exactly full."

Their feet hit the freshly saturated ground, kicking up the odors of earth with each step. The sky was absolutely covered with dark, gray clouds which blocked out the sun almost entirely. There was a distinctly moist wind blowing through the trees as they made their way into town. Lilo's ambitions were running a bit ahead of her, and Stitch's confusion far behind him. But soon the damp mud and grass turned into street and cement as they crossed the subtle boundary between the suburban and urban areas.

A little while later, when the sky just started to drizzle, and people who had carried umbrellas now had them at the ready, two onlookers placed themselves out of sight in a not-so-out-of-sight area across the street. They looked as though they were just a girl and her dog enjoying an expected rainy day with a milkshake.

"You see anything, Stitch?" Lilo asked, leaning over to his ear after slurping a bit of slush down. Stitch's eyes, fixated on the debris, began to zoom in. The expression on his face made it seem like he was giving someone a very disgusted look, but no one figured such a look out of an ordinary dog. He sat upright on the grass, occasionally wagging his tail as he examined the destruction just across the street.

"Eh." He told her, "marks, on wood."

"Like they showed on the news?" He nodded. She slurped her shake again. "Anything else?" She began to lean over again, this time to scratch his head as tourists came by. She regretted not bringing her camera, as the day was in perfect overcast. He looked for a few more seconds, his vision zooming in and out, spotting broken wood, glass and pottery.

"Need to get closer." He said, focusing back to normal and looking up at her. She looked down, thinking, and then took up his leash.

"I've got an idea, come on." He followed, although he didn't have much of a choice. They crossed the street, heading toward the broken-down market stand, and almost immediately a policeman came and put a hand on her shoulder—oddly enough it was one of the ones that had come to know her, and her ways.

"What do you think you're doing Lilo? You're not getting into trouble again are you? I've got your sister on speed-dial, remember?" Lilo smiled sweetly, and loosened Stitch's leash.

"Me, trouble?" She asked, pointing to herself. "Not at all. Just walking my dog; he needs the exercise—too much coconut cake. But," she leaned in and whispered, "I think he's gotta go to the bathroom." Taking his cue, Stitch started acting antsy. The cop's eyebrows rose a bit. "I was just trying to find a place where he could go without being stared at; you wouldn't want people watching _you _while you went would you?" The officer scratched his neck and sighed. All the while, Stitch had taken his chance to casually walk around the debris, his leash practically free from Lilo's grasp.

"Look, Lilo, maybe you should think about going home, huh? It's supposed to start raining soon and your sister would get worried if she found out you were out in the rain, so why don't you—hey!" Stitch's ears shot up as he felt the officer's shout fall on his shoulders. He began to dive into the debris, but the cop caught onto his leash and started to pull him away. "Come on you!" He grunted, trying to pull Stitch, who was latched onto the ground. With a quick motion, Stitch pawed at a plank of wood which held something that caught his eye, and as soon as he did the officer yanked, causing him to fly.

"Stop it, you're choking him!" Lilo pleaded, taking his leash away from the officer. He stood to his feet and dusted off his pants, giving a very dissatisfied look at Stitch. "He's sorry," Lilo apologized, "he's just curious."

"I know, I know." The officer said with a billow. "Keep a better hold on that leash and walk your dog home," a boom of thunder echoed off in the distance, "and hurry." The officer added, while Lilo ran back toward her house.

"Did you find anything?" Lilo asked, panting, while she ran up the steps to the front door, her hair sopping wet from the rain. Stitch shook the water from his body and face, and then smiled, lifting up his arms to allow the lower-right to thrust out of his side. He opened it, showing her a piece of fabric that looked shredded, orange in color with a little black in the corner. "Cool, when we get inside, let's try to figure out where it came from." She turned the doorknob and opened the door, and immediately she heard a voice she didn't recognize.


	3. Carlos Lo Bo

The Blue Werewolf

Part II: The True Hearted

C/By: Kenjaje

Edited by: raVen

Chapter 3: Carlos Lo Bo

October 29: 3:09 PM: Kitchen

"—I wish I could afford a hotel here, but even the two-star ones're too high fer me," came a strange voice from the kitchen, catching the attention of Stitch and Lilo. "That's why I'm sa'thrilled I found this place." The voice was strong, deep and low, with a strange drawl to it, which Lilo immediately assumed to be Texan. However it wasn't a drawl that was very outspoken, it was more a subtle slur of a few of the vowels, the rest were accurately spoken, as if the voice was fluctuating from casual to formal.

_"A tourist?"_ Lilo thought, running into the kitchen to see the possessor of the voice. _"What's a tourist doing here—in our house?" _When she made her arrival into the kitchen, she saw that her sister was sitting at the table and across from her a very strangely looking man facing her. The man turned toward Lilo as she entered.

His skin was the first thing she noticed; it was very tan, as if the man had never seen a spot of shade in his life, and against his hair—ash but mostly white in color—it made for an odd appearance to the eyes. And to speak of the eyes, his were bright amber. He was very tall, a little bit taller than Lilo's sister, and he seemed very proper too, and yet at the same time relaxed; he sat in such a way that his back was straight, but his shoulders seemed to slouch, and his head seemed to hang a bit. A very friendly smile crossed his square jaw as he spotted Lilo and, to what he presumed as, her dog.

"And just who's this lil'girl?" The man said, losing his straight posture by leaning forward. Lilo looked up slightly at his hair, which seemed to vibrate against his dark skin, instead of staring at the man's face. She didn't speak, for two reasons: she was advised not to talk to strangers—and this man seemed awfully strange—and she also did not like holding conversations with tourists. "Shy one ain'tcha?" The man commented with a laugh.

"Mr. Bo," Nani said, motioning to her younger sister, "this is my sister Lilo, and her friend, Stitch. Lilo, this is Mr.—"

"Please, just call me Bo; Carlos Lo Bo's the name, glad to meet'cha Lilo and Stitch!" He said with a smile, his teeth as odd to the eyes against his skin as his hair. He extended his hand, which Lilo noticed was in a fingerless glove. She turned to the side, her eyes still on him, and Nani let out a sigh.

"Shake his hand, Lilo." She said patiently. Lilo, after still a moment's pause, finally shook his hand.

"You're a tourist?" Lilo interrogated, still eyeing him from the side. Bo smiled again as he replied,

"Kinda, ya'see I came here cuz I wanted to surprise a friend'o mine fer the holiday," he paused to let out a hearty chuckle, "but that son-of-a-gun thought'a the same idea. Now we're stuck cuz my next flight's on the first, so I gotta stay here fer a while."

"And when you say 'stay _here_'—Nani, can I talk to you?" Lilo inquired, with an inkling of annoyance. Nani rolled her eyes and followed Lilo into the laundry room while Stitch remainen, sitting down doggishly, and feeling very awkward being alone with the strange man. "What are you trying to _do_? You can't let a _tourist _stay here! I can't hold a conversation with a _tourist_, you know that!"

"_Lilo!_" Nani said with a hiss. "That's enough out of you. Now I know you may not like it," she put a hand on Lilo's mouth very quickly to keep her from interrupting, and took it away to keep her from getting any saliva, "but we're in a very tight spot this year. You might not be able to understand it but we're going _broke_!" Nani eyed as if to say, "And experiment-catching is the majority of the problem", but she didn't want to hear the "One, True Place" and "O'hana" speech from her younger sister, again.

"But I don't see where a _tourist_ comes into this…" Lilo commented, eyeing her sister.

"Well, Mr…Bo, is here to rent a room." Lilo's head tilted.

"Rent a room? You mean like an apartment?"

"Yeah, like an apartment. In exchange for getting a room to sleep in and food to eat, Mr. Bo is going to give us a rent, to help us pay for all the bills;" again she eyed Lilo as if to say, "That you've racked up while experiment-hunting". Lilo put a hand to her chin.

"…Well, I guess I can make this _one _exception." She said.

"Thank you, Lilo." Nani teased, rubbing her sister's head. Lilo giggled, and followed Nani out of the laundry room, back into the kitchen. Halfway down the hall, however, a realization dawned on her.

"Wait…_whose _room?"

"Yours, silly."

Stitch gazed out the window, looking both near and far, watching the raindrops beyond fall past and the ones much nearer splat against the pane and slide down slowly. Lilo lied on her bed, staring up at the ceiling, extremely bored.

"Stitch wonder if…" He muttered, his eyes wandering from cloud to cloud, as if looking for something unique among them.

"I can't believe Nani's letting some _tourist _live in my room." Stitch rolled his eyes again, for this was the fifth or sixth time Lilo spoke out about the subject. "It's not like I don't like the guy—though he does look a little weird—it's just that having a _tourist _in the house is aggravating enough, but sleeping in _my _old room, where I slept for nearly all my life?" Stitch sighed. "I know, this is boring," She looked out her window, "and we can't even go outside."

Lilo moved to where she was hanging over the side of the bed, staring upside-down at the room. She tried to let the new perspective entertain her, and stared at the checkerboard and pieces that they had exhausted the fun out of for the week in one sitting. A bit to the right of that, an orange fabric caught her attention.

"Hey!" She said, falling backward and turning around, fumbling to the object and picking it up in her hand. "Isn't this that thing you found at the wrecked market stand?" Stitch looked over toward her, his eyes zooming in on it.

"Eh." He replied. "Stitch found close to some wood with teeth-mark," he paused, and then added, "or claw-mark." Lilo held it in her hand, examining it.

"What made you grab it?" She questioned. Stitch looked back out the window.

"Saw it somewhere before," he told her, "can't remember, but Stitch saw something like it before leaving to stand." Lilo eyed the fabric; a rhombic patch, torn on one side, colored orange, except for the top corner, which was black with a curved edge and had, what Lilo noticed, a stunt but wide slit where the orange intruded on the black border.

"Wait a minute…" Lilo said, walking to her closet, arbitrarily pulling out one of her dresses. She flattened her palm behind the dress so that one of the leaves was straight. She placed the orange rhombus near the edge of the leaf—an almost perfect match. Then, a memory triggered into her mind. "I know where this is from!" She exclaimed with enthusiasm, as though she had just solved the world's greatest mystery. "That old man on the news this morning, this must be a piece of his shirt!"

"Oketaka." Stitch said, facing her with interest. "But, why Lilo so excited? Not very important…"

"Stitch, don't you remember? He said he saw an animal, a _dog_, but we know a _dog _didn't do that kind of damage, we both know it had to have been a werewolf." Stitch's ears twitched a bit.

"Talk?" He questioned, trying to read her intentions.

"Yeah, I think we need to ask that ol' guy some questions. He's got to remember _something_, and maybe that'll give us a clue to who bit you." Stitch's eyes squinted. "What?" She asked.

"What if…is someone Stitch and Lilo know? What if, is Myrtle; or Kioni; or big dummy-head?"

"Myrtle I can understand; lay off my Kioni; and if it _were_ the big dummy, I'd stop experiment-catching right now." Lilo replied sarcastically. Stitch twiddled his thumbs idly. "…Don't you want to find out?" She asked, wondering if that was why he was so silent.

"Eh…and naga." He responded. "Stitch _does _want to know, would make Stitch feel better, maybe, but at same time, will not change nothing. Stitch still be werewolf, so what? Stitch not see point." Lilo sighed, slightly disappointed. The question of who bit him was edging her mind all the time; she wanted to know, and try to trace it back as far as she could. Maybe she would find the very first werewolf or something like that.

"I understand," she told him, "but we should at least find out if the old man is a werewolf or not—maybe if we tell him he is, he'll feel better. Or worse…" Her words began to trail. "But anyway, as soon as this storm lets up we should—" Lilo screamed, her bones shuddering as a massive, heart-stopping thunderclap shook the air with noise. The light of the room sparked, then went dead. The rain began to pick up even more, from a slight pitter-patter to a grand stamping.

"Wow…that was loud." Lilo said, still recovering from the crippling surprise. "Stitch?" She asked, slightly loud, with a hint of fear.

"Here, Lilo." He spoke, putting a hand on her shoulder. She shuddered at first when he did. "Is very dark." He told her, blinking his eyes. She stared into their green glow, which comforted her a bit.

"It's nice to have a friend with night-vision, makes things less scary." She said, rubbing his head. "You know," she spoke, as a staccato of loud and soft booms echoed every once in a while in the distance, "this is actually kinda fun—all dark and spooky. If we lived in an older house, I'd say this place was haunted." She sighed, almost wishing it were so. "Hmm…maybe we can have some fun. Why don't we go downstairs and have an adventure until the lights are fixed?" Stitch's eyes blinked happily.

"Oketaka!" He exclaimed, welcoming the idea to break his boredom.

"Shush!" She told him, a finger to her lips, "be quiet, we have to sneak around, otherwise the 'ghosts' will find us." Stitch nodded, blinking eyes back to normal. With a surge of adventure, the two stepped onto the elevator, and went down to the second floor.


	4. The Book Without Words

The Blue Werewolf

Part II: The True Hearted

C/By: Kenjaje

Edited by: raVen

Chapter 4: The Book Without Words

October 29: 7:32 PM: Upstairs Hallway

The hallway was much darker than Lilo expected. She stepped slowly out of the elevator, her bare feet squeaking as the heels of her feet slowly let themselves down. Stitch's feet were almost noiseless, except for the light, quick, _tic-tic-tic _of his claws. In her mind, Lilo could clearly hear the violin playing; a slow, edgy tone that made each hair on the back of your neck stand rigid, and sent a small quiver down your spine, that would shiver a bit quicker as the thunderclaps complimented the steady foam of the rain.

She began to move down the hall, one step at a time, feeling her way along the wall. Stitch followed right behind, the ticking of his claws a steady rhythm against the violin, thunder and rain. They reached the first door, but Lilo did not open it.

"Later." She whispered. They continued for a moment more, and then turned at the stairs, and the violin gave a shriek as the lightning roared in through the windows downstairs, illuminating the room for split second. Lilo paused, and then took the first step down the stairs. A long groan came as her heel eased down with a soft wooden _thump_ barely above a tap. The second step groaned even louder, and the third louder still. The fourth began to quiet down, and too the fifth, but the sixth was the loudest of all, and the longest.

It was then, Lilo noticed, that there was an absence of the _tic-tic-tic _and the groaning of the stairs as her friend came down. She glanced back, just as a flash of lightning struck through the windows again, and the violin took another sharp note that made her shoulders twitch. She stood still for the longest time before she turned back to the end of the stairs. The violin began to pick up, but not too quickly; still low, still slow, but more frequent. And now it was joined by a deep bass, which made her bones vibrate with tension.

Two more slow, quietly groaning steps, and she was at the bottom. She looked about the room, over everything. He was somewhere, waiting, watching, even if he could not see her clearly. Her breathing quieted, and steps were softer; she made her way into the kitchen, step after step, always watching to see when he would show up. If she was now the mouse, she would need a weapon.

The tile floor felt cold to her toes, but she was able to relax a bit more. He would not dare go into the kitchen, she knew, for if he did the ticking would certainly give him away. She went to the sink, and reached beside it. Her fingers gripped around the neck of a short, tapered spray bottle. She picked it up and wrapped her index and middle around the trigger, and kept it well at the ready in her palm. She looked around, thinking. He was waiting for her, waiting for the right time, so wherever he was, he was staying, and she had to find him first.

She walked slowly to the back hall, past the back door where she made sure he wasn't hiding behind the window shade. The violin and bass were suddenly quiet, and now only the storm could be heard. She crept through the shadows, against the wall, making her way carefully into the laundry room. She opened the door with a steady moan, looking all about on the ceiling and across the floor.

She stepped into the room with her weapon poised and shut the door behind her. In the absence of the storm the violin and bass began to play again, slowly, softly. She moved along the wall, cautiously closer to the washer and dryer. The instruments stopped as they loomed in front of her, and she leaned over, and struck the metal body lightly.

Nothing happened. She hopped on top, and lifted the lid to peer inside, but couldn't see anything. She opened it all the way, and as the shadow whisked away, no one was inside. She closed it, wedging her fingers in between the opening and slowly slipping them out to soften the metallic echo it made, and hopped down to the floor. She watched the shadows again as she moved to the dryer; again she struck it and nothing happened, and again she looked inside to see that no one was there. This room was clear, for now.

Unnoticed to her, the doorknob had turned, and with a _click _the door opened without a stutter. The figure behind her walked in, without making so much as a soft, cottony brush against the floor. Just as soon as she had shut the lid to the dryer and turned around, the dark figure loomed over her, and laid a hand on her shoulder. She screamed.

"'Ey! 'Ey!" Came a stern voice, which sounded rather calming. Lilo backed out from under the hand on her shoulder and shivered. "Don't be scared; s'me, Bo." Lilo blinked.

"S-scared?" She asked, trying to cover her stammer, "I'm not sca…scared" She had to pause to swallow. Bo grinned, she could tell because she could slightly see his teeth—and his hair for that matter—in the pale blue darkness.

"Ok, I b'lieve ya. Now c'mout-a the dark, I don't want you gettin' hurt or anything." He said, turning to the door and stopping to let her out first. "What're you doin' in here anyway?" He asked her out of curiosity while she passed him.

"I was looking for my dog; he's trying to scare me by surprising me." When Lilo looked out into the kitchen, where a source of light had snagged her eyes, she saw Stitch sitting at the kitchen table, which upon rested a fairly large candle. "_There _you are! Nice try, but you didn't scare me one bit!" She teased.

"Huh?" He asked quietly, so that Bo wouldn't hear.

"I think yer pup was jus' curious." Bo told her, passing her to sit down at the table. "Saw him come into my room while I was unpacking; must'a seen the light under the door."

"Uh huh," Lilo rolled her eyes. "Where's my sister?"

"I b'lieve she's gone to the store with that large uncle and…somewhat dangerously skinny aunt-a yours. She's not sick or anythin' is she?"

"Pleakley?" Lilo asked, "No, he's—I mean _she's_—not sick, she's just really skinny, I think it's on her mother's side."

"Well all right then, 'cus if she _was _sick I would-a made m'special chicken soup; cure's anythin'."

"It's hard to do that when the power's out though…"

"Yeah I s'pose so." Bo agreed. "But hey, I'm sure it'll be back on in a jiffy'r'two." Lilo suppressed a giggle; the way he spoke was a funny kind of strange to her. "Until it does, I'll be happy to keep you two comp'ny, especially if you're…scared." As if on cue the loudest roar of thunder and the brightest flash of lightning erupted against the house, showing Bo's grin as he spoke the word, as if he knew that the effects would happen. Lilo shivered at his look, the normal smile seemed different in flicker of pale violet light lightning.

"Well, what do we do, just sit her and talk?" Lilo asked. "I'm not much of a talker…especially to tourists." She threw in with a frank tone.

"We don't haf'ta, if you want I got a lil' book I brought with me upstairs somewhere in my stuff, seems like a nice setting for stories don'tchya think?"

"I guess so." Lilo agreed. "You want us to help you look?"

"Wha'sure." He motioned, getting up out of his chair. "It's a big brown book, kinda old; you'll know it when you see it." He said, as he led the way upstairs, with Lilo at his heels and Stitch at their sides on the railing. When they arrived in her old room, she noticed it was being furnished with Bo's things.

_"Must have been unpacking while the power blew," _Lilo thought.

"You two start over there, and I'll start here. I'm pretty sure that dog-a yers'll find it faster than I can what with that nose-a his."

"Ok and you bet he will." Lilo told him. Stitch followed Lilo to the other side of the room, where, once he felt the coast was clear, immediately said something that Lilo found strange at first.

"Bo smell different." She gave him the eyebrow for a moment, trying to understand what he meant. Once it hit her she smiled with realization.

"He's from Texas," she told him, "so he might smell like Texas." She suggested, sifting through some bags on the floor.

"Teskaz?" Stitch said, trying to pronounce the unfamiliar word.

"No, Tex-as," Lilo repeated with pronunciation, "it's a state in the continent of North America, the United States—remember when I explained that?"

"Oh, oketaka." He said with a nod. "But, not smell like Tegapas, smell is different…Stitch know smell, but doesn't know smell also, cannot identify."

"I think your nose is acting up." Lilo told him sarcastically. "Oh hey!" She exclaimed, as she uncovered the corner of a brown book. "I found it!" She said, pulling it up out of the bag. She opened it as Bo came over, and noticed something strange. "Hey…how can you read from this book, it doesn't have any words?" Bo's eyes seemed to flicker with tension.

"That's another book, don't worry'bout it, jus' put it on the desk o'er there, would'jah?" Lilo shrugged and carried the book over to the desk as Bo went back to look on the other side of the room. Stitch hopped up on the chair as soon as Lilo put the book down and opened it.

"Careful Stitch, don't rip out any pages—it's not yours"

"Segaba, segaba." He told her with reassurance. He turned back to the book and let the cover fall open. He stared at the pages. His mind churned. He flipped pages over and over and over, looking through the book, trying to figure out where Lilo had opened it.

"Hey…what's with you?" Lilo asked, when she noticed his mad dashing through the pages.

"Lilo wrong." He said.

"I'm wrong? Wrong about what?"

"Takka-takka," he urged, lifting the book to face her. His finger trailed across the pages, and as her eyes followed she wondered what he was trying to show her.

"What is it?"

"Letters!" He told her. "Book has letters."

"No it doesn't." She told him. He gave her the eyebrow with a fragrance of frustration, and turned to look at the page he had opened. They were there; he could see them. Letters of a strange fashion, letters he had never seen before. He turned the book back to Lilo.

"What do Lilo see?" She let out a rasp sigh.

"I don't see anything—the pages are _blank_ Stitch."

"…Whatever!" He huffed with aggravation, slamming the book closed.

"Ah, here it is, thought-ah left it in the big box." Came Bo's voice from behind them. "'Ey, what's yer dog doin' with m'book?"

"He's just curious…and being weird."

"Well, I'm sorry, but that books quite a treasure t'me." He said, taking it from Stitch's hands. "I'd appreciate it if you two would leave it alone. C'mon now, before the power comes back on and ruins the mood." He beckoned, heading down toward the kitchen.


	5. Without the Moon

The Blue Werewolf

Part II: The True Hearted

C/By: Kenjaje

Edited by: raVen

Chapter 5: Without The Moon

October 29: 10:12 PM: Tower Bedroom

"I should have guessed he'd read us _scary _stories." Lilo said, emerging from the closet, dressed for sleeping. "But the way he read them didn't sound scary at all—his voice was more entertaining." She giggled, sitting on her bed. Stitch gave a word of agreement from his side of the room.

The thunderstorm still shook the skies as violently as ever, and the power had yet to be brought back. Nani came home to the two of them, with Bo, sitting at the kitchen table, reading by the light of a kerosene lamp. And when Nani told them it was time for bed, to her surprise Lilo didn't give a fuss.

"All this boredom's making me sleepy anyway," she had reasoned. "So," she spoke presently, "I guess you won't go tonight, since it's so cloudy you can't even seen the moon at all." Stitch said something but Lilo couldn't hear. "Hey, what's wrong? You've been quiet lately; and not just because you're hiding your being an alien from Bo." She pointed out.

"Stitch just thinking." He explained softly, under the sound of a thunderclap.

"You do too much of that and you'll end up being a nerd or something." Lilo warned sarcastically. "Thinking about what?"

"Naguta." He replied, his feet thumping against the floor. She watched his silhouette walk to the window and look out.

"What's up? You see something?"

"Naga, sky all black."

"Of course it is, it's a storm, and the clouds are blocking the moon."

"Doesn't matter." He told her in a whisper, as if he didn't really want her to hear. She tilted her head.

"What doesn't matter?" A flicker of lightning lit his face as he stood gazing outside. He turned and went to the center of the room, where it was a bit darker. Lilo slid off her bed and went over to him. "Hey, why so quiet?" She reached out, put her hand on his shoulder, and drew it back with a gasp. "You're_ transformed_?"

Another flicker lit the whole room, to reveal Stitch's body, greatly changed: his arms were shorter, and his hands—which looked more like his feet—touched the ground, his tail was much longer than the short stubby one he had just a few seconds ago, his ears were a lot shorter and less dramatically curved, and his face and eyes were narrow, with his nose a bit smaller, and it sat against the top of his elongated snout.

"Eh." Was his reply.

"H-how," she questioned, "the only way someone can turn into a werewolf is by the full moon, and you already break that rule by transforming when it's at least _half_; now you don't even _need _it?" Her voice sounded harsh to him, and he backed away.

"Stitch…not know." He told her, his voice echoing shame. "Found out in…July." He struggled to speak, as his larynx was less capable of forming words, much less his snout was difficult to use, however he spoke a great deal better now than when he first began to try. Lilo sighed, but Stitch couldn't tell in what way.

"I guess this means you _are _going?" She asked softly.

"Eh, is better if go."

"Can I at least ask to come?"

"Soka," he answered, "but Stitch want to go alone, oketaka?" Lilo put a hand on his shoulder again.

"Oketaka." She agreed, and went to her bed. He followed and stayed until she was snug, then bid her goodnight before he went down the elevator. The room was eerily silent after he left. "Why didn't you tell me you could transform like that before?" She said aloud, after he had long since left the house.

"Are you afraid I'll slip up and mention it to someone or something?" She accused, "…Or is it because you don't want me to worry?" She asked softly. She opened her eyes and looked up at the ceiling, "You don't want to get me involved; you don't want me to be afraid of you because you're a werewolf?" She turned aggressively, her sheets flustering with her. "_What is it_?" She almost yelled. "If anything, _not _knowing why is what's scaring me…"

The kitchen was in a green shadow during the first few moments of light in the sky before the sun actually rose in early morning. That moment that seems like neither night nor day, nor even twilight. And especially on such a gloomy morning, where the rain had poured down off and on all night long, and could still pour even now.

In the next room, the front door rustled; the flap at the bottom lifted as Stitch put his head through, followed by the rest of his drenched body. He stood on the matt and shook himself dry, keeping quiet. He shook his head with sleepiness, his eyes dry and cloudy. His mind began to wander as he went toward the stairs.

"Well there, welcome home," rolled a deep voice, very softly, so that only he could hear. "Been gone all night?" It asked. Stitch blinked, peering into the kitchen. He saw, in the green shade at the table, the face of the new resident.

"Eh." He said. Then, as if his brain had just slapped him across the face, his eyes widened and he quickly began to cover up his response with a series of low barks.

"Hey, be quiet!" Bo's voice rolled in a whisper, "Everyone's asleep." Stitch's ears stood rigid. The man spoke as though he knew he understood. Either that or the man was confirming that Stitch could understand. There was something about Bo that caught Stitch's attention—something he couldn't place but knew was there, which made Stitch believe that the man was observant and highly aware of things—so to throw off any thoughts Bo had on his mind, Stitch continued to bark, until a set of angry footsteps treaded their way to the head of the stairs.

"Stitch!" Nani whispered, "What are you doing? I'm trying to sleep!" She picked him up furiously. "I've got a big day at work today, and I'd like to go there feeling _happy _and well _rested_, so whatever it is, it can wait, _understand me? _Tell me you understand me!" She glared, waiting for him to say "yes". He blinked, and nudged his head to the right. Nani looked into the kitchen to see Bo, idly sipping a mug of coffee, watching. With a nervous laugh Nani dawned a grin and cheerful sparkle in her eye, half setting-half dropping Stitch on the staircase.

"I get so used to him causing trouble, I talk to him like I do to Lilo; sometimes I get the two confused." She said with a shrug. Bo's face remained motionless, but his eyes looked to the left as he sipped his mug again. Nani sighed.

"_Yet another person thinks I'm crazy because I'm talking to an alien"_, she thought as she took Stitch's hand. When they were in the hallway, out of view, she spoke quietly. "I know you may not like him, but you've got to behave around him, ok? Please…do it for me? How many times do _I _ask you to do something?" She begged. Stitch looked to the side, almost unable to look at her pleading.

"Ok Nani, Stitch be good." He told her. She thanked him and rubbed his forehead, and stood up to go back to bed.

"Ask Lilo to do the same thing, ok? If she wants to know why he's staying, let her know it's because we're in a money-pinch, otherwise I'll tell her later."

"Stitch tell, Nani sleep." She turned around, and then looked back, giving him the eyebrow.

"Whatever bit you to make you so behaved, remind me to thank it, and to tell it to bite Lilo." She joked, going into her room. Stitch sighed.

"Oketaka." He said, turning to the elevator. His ears picked up Bo's movements; he was at the bottom of the stairs. Stitch dashed, and let the elevator take him up. The sunlight was just barely creeping into the windowsills of the room when he arrived. He looked at the clock, but his eyes were too clouded to read it. He headed for his objective, and lied down upon it, closing his eyes and drifting off immediately.

"Hm…Stitch?" Lilo stirred, lifting her head. She moved her hair out of her eyes, and slid out of bed. "Hey Stitch, are you awake?" She asked softly, in case he wasn't.

"Uh huh." He replied, though he clearly wasn't truly.

"Can I…tell you something?" She moved a chair next to his bed to sit on it, and lean over to his ear.

"Suga." He said, less awake than before. Lilo sighed nervously; a bit glad his eyes were closed. She turned a little bit, to face his mouth, and his breathing.

"Well…I was just thinking, last night," she began, and paused, "…I was really wondering why…you didn't tell me about your transforming without the moon. At first…I thought it was because you were keeping secrets from me because I was annoying you, and making you feel bad because you're…" she trailed, then continued.

"And then I wondered…if it was because you didn't really trust me. Or if it was because you were afraid, or you thought I would be afraid, or something like that—and anyway," she continued quickly, grabbing his hand, "I don't really want to ask, but it's just…I'd like you to answer. You don't have to be afraid of telling me; even if it's something I might not like…I'll understand. But why didn't you tell me?"

She held what was left of her breath, awaiting his answer. But all she saw was the calm, steady breathing of his lips; he was asleep. She let out her breath with a stagger, shaking her head with nervousness. Letting go of his hand, she slowly went back to her bed.


	6. The Torn Pages

The Blue Werewolf

Part II: The True Hearted

C/By: Kenjaje

Edited by: raVen

Chapter 6: The Torn Pages

October 30: 11:13 AM: Tower Bedroom

"Stitch," Lilo whispered, "Stitch, wake up." He stirred, his eyes blinking rapidly for a second or two. He rubbed them to wake up.

"Gaba?" He mumbled sleepily.

"Nani wants to see you…and I don't think she's very happy," she told him, her voice had a bit of an ominous undertone. Stitch followed her to the elevator, through the hall, and down the stairs, all the while wondering what Nani wanted _him _for. When they arrived, she was standing before the television set, a sour look on her face.

"Now I know why you weren't such a wrecking ball in the house, Stitch." She began immediately as she heard them approach.

"Gaba ju chisha?" Stitch asked, a feeling of accusation looming over him. Nani lifted the remote and pressed a button, and immediately the news came in.

"The curious vandalism that took place the night before has struck again—only this time it seems to be expanding rapidly. As of last night: seven homes, three local stands, two hotels, and four food marts, have all been leveled. All witnesses that were present while these vandalisms took place each say a few things similar in their accounts: 'There was only one vandal, it was bluish, and looked much like a dog.' Police believe that this 'dog' figure is actually a distraction while the vandals themselves destroy their targ-" Nani hit the mute button.

"There's only one blue, doggish looking person capable of that kind of destruction in this house and he's looking at a major punishment unless he has a good excuse." Nani glared. Stitch's ears fell to the ground as he was suddenly thrown into a feeling of guilt. He tried to think of a good excuse, but he didn't even know if it was him that did the destruction; he tried to think, but suddenly his memory of the night before ended with Bo reading to them by the light of a lamp—the rest was a blank.

"Come on Nani!" Lilo spoke up, "How can you be so accusing? Isn't it supposed to be 'innocent until proven guilty'? I thought we went over this before when Phantasmo framed him. You can't point your finger at Stitch every time something gets blown up, or crumbled, or evaporated, or incinerated, or—" Lilo paused, and then smiled brightly, realizing that naming Stitch's many abilities of destruction wasn't really helping him all that much.

"Oh yeah? Well then where was he this morning?"

"…This morning? He was sleeping…"

"Is that how I saw him walking up the stairs, barking at our new guest? He was coming home from his nightly round of destroying, I think." Her voice pelted Stitch like ice. Whether he was innocent or not, Nani could only see one side.

"You're _wrong!_" Lilo shouted, stamping her foot, "He fell out the window while he was sleeping! It happens all the time." Of course, Stitch knew that Lilo was lying. A knot tied itself in his throat, another feeling, shame, arising now that his friend had to start lying for him.

He listened to their argument as his mind wandered, struggling to think. He began to recall things: grass, trees, rain. He thought harder: clouds, blurry shadows, blurry figures, blurry—buildings. He saw it clearly, the piles of wood splintered and broken, another place had twisted metal and shreds of paper, another wires and broken tile.

"I don't care what you say!" Lilo protested with fury, her forehead against her sister's forehead, "Stitch—"

"Stitch…did it." His voice came softly. Lilo turned and looked at him with disbelief that he was admitting something she knew he didn't do, and Nani's eyes bore a hole of regret in him.

"And _why_ are you destroying people's homes?" Nani asked bitterly. "Is destroying ours not satisfying enough for you anymore?"

"N…naga nota…why." He admitted. Though he really didn't even know how.

"Well, maybe a three week's of grounding will help you remember."

"No Nani! He didn't—"

"You want to earn him a month?" Stitch put a hand on Lilo's shoulder, as if to say "Nani won", but she countered with a glare that said "Why are you letting her?" He looked back up at Nani's face. "Since you brought the hotel _where I work at _down, I'm free today; I'll take Lilo to get her Halloween costume. That'll give you some time alone. Lilo, go get dressed." Without a word, she went upstairs. "I'm going to put the tower on Lockdown just to make sure you don't try to escape." He turned, his ears low and shoulders slouched, and he made his way to the stairs.

After the climb, he passed the door to Lilo's old room. It was wide open, and the absence of a presence caught his attention. He peered inside. The window was open, and the wind blew. Something on the desk at the far wall fluttered—an open book. Stitch looked behind him, and quickly slipped into the room. He hastily dashed to the desk, and stopped the pages of the book from flipping. His eyes studied the worn paper, and the strange glyphs that were on it.

Whether it was his curiosity of learning, or the feeling that the text he was reading he somehow understood like a lost memory, he shut the book, and cradled it in his arms as he made his way to the elevator. Just has he arrived, Lilo came down in a green dress and blue sandals. He quickly moved the book behind his back and pressed against the wall.

"I'll talk to Nani." She said as she passed. "I know you didn't do that, you're just taking the fall because we don't have an explanation." He didn't say anything as she went down the stairs. As soon as she was out of sight, he was up the elevator.

"All right, Lilo, _all right!_" Nani yelled with frustration, bursting through the front door. "One-and-a-half weeks, and that's as low as it goes. Any more and I'll ground you too, and I don't want to do that."

"It doesn't matter, you might as well—it'll be like I'm being grounded anyway."

"Fine, be grounded if you want, I'm going to take a nap to try to get rid of this _headache_." Her sister stormed up the stairs and slammed the door to her room. Lilo stood in the living room, the bag with her costume clutched in her hand. She sighed.

"You gettin' into trouble?" Asked a voice from the kitchen. Lilo looked over to see Bo sitting at the table.

"Y…yeah, kind of." She said, walking to him. "But it's a long story."

"I see." He said with a nod, then he began again, "Say, you didn't happen to see that ol' book lyin' aroun'; the one with no words in it?" Lilo tilted her head.

"No, I've been gone. Things disappear around here all the time, if I find it, I'll let you know." She told him, lifting the bag.

"What's in there?" He asked, pointing at it. Lilo smiled.

"My Halloween costume; Nani wanted to do something to get her mind off some things, so she took me to get it, but I think I made her angrier." She said, rolling her eyes.

"What costume did ya pick, may I see?" Lilo opened the bag and pulled out a headband, on which was sewn long ears at the top, and a long snout hanging down one side. She put it on her head, the end of the snout covering her nose, replacing it with the big, black bulbous nose.

"That's a nice mask," he complimented, "you a werewolf this year?"

"Uh huh." She said; the nose of the snout bounced slightly as she spoke. "My…friend kinda gave me the idea, and all the other costumes looked really lame."

"Well you cert'nly picked the good'un. Sure to get lotsa candy this year, eh?"

"Well," Lilo's eyes angled down and to the right, "maybe, but I don't want to get my hopes up. It's a long story."

"You sure have a lot of stories," Bo laughed.

"Rest and relaxation just doesn't cure a headache anymore…" Nani huffed, coming into the kitchen.

"Howdy, like the costume you got the kiddo." Bo said, trying to calm Nani's nerves once he saw she was flustered. Nani looked back as if she was distracted, then realized Bo was talking to her.

"Oh, yeah. I suggested something else but she wanted the werewolf. It'd certainly be a lot easier if Stitch was the werewolf this year."

"No way," Lilo joked, "Stitch is nothing like a werewolf. Speaking of which, you're going to let Stitch trick-or-treat right?" Nani's sigh was her only answer, and Lilo rolled her eyes, taking the headband off and putting it back into the bag.

"Well, I have to go comfort my dog, see ya later!" Lilo yelled back at Bo, already up the stairs. When she arrived to her room, her voice excited and ecstatic about the news of his grounding, she rushed toward him, tossing her costume aside.

Before she reached him, however, she tripped over something she didn't see on the floor, and her ears heard the sound of tearing paper under her feet. "What was that?" She asked, as Stitch caught her before she hit the ground.

She looked down on the floor at the open book, its pages blank and its paper worn. Near the spine, several pages were detached, and one was half torn. Her eyes widened. "Stitch, why did you take Bo's book?" She asked.

"Stitch was…reading." He told her.

"Oh man! I _just _got your grounding down to a week-and-a-half, now Nani's gonna think you tore the pages and—wait a minute…what do you mean _reading_?" She said, her eyes narrowing on him. He was silent. "You're still going on about the book having words in it? Give it a rest already, there's _nothing_ in there!"

"Naga, words there! Stitch can see—" He paused; debating wasn't going to solve anything. He went to the desk and gripped a crayon and took a piece of drawing paper. "Takka." He told her, leaning over the paper. His hand moved across the page, the motion suggesting he was writing something, but Lilo didn't see anything.

"I think the crayon's broke." She told him. Stitch looked back at her for a second, and then stared down at the paper he was writing on. He could see the strange glyphs in the orange color of the crayon's crumbs, why couldn't she?

"Oketaka…tell Stitch if Lilo see this," he wrote the letter "A", "eh?"

"Yeah, I can see that."

"Iba…" he wrote a letter in his language, the equivalent to "A", "eh?"

"I can see that too." Stitch nodded, then, he slowly copied one of the glyphs. "…I don't see it marking on the paper." She told him, almost immediately after he began to write. He stared at the unfinished glyph.

"Stitch telling truth—Stitch see letters, honest." He told her.

"Well…what do they say?" Lilo asked.

"Naga nota, Stitch cannot read."

"…Try writing them again, but flip the page over, and this time, don't copy them exactly, make some mistake and then tell me how it really looks."

"Oketaka." Stitch flipped the page over and did as she said. He copied a character that looked somewhat like an upside-down "Y" with a "Z" running through the stem, which curved at the top like a "J" curves at the bottom, and had a dot like a lower-case "I". But Stitch pointed out that the "Z" was turned like an "N" and did not have the diagonal line that connected the two parallel ones together, and that the dot was not at the top but in the middle of the character, and that there were actually two.

"Ok…now draw the letter." He did. "Wow…" Lilo said with amazement, "I really _can't _see it."

"Naga?"

"No…this is freaky…I think we should tell Bo, or ask him if we can borrow it for a while until we figure out why. Here, give me the pages, we'll tape them back in. He can't read the words either, so it won't matter—we'll just tell him the truth, it was an accident." Stitch handed her the few torn pages, and she went to the desk to get the roll of tape. She started with the half-torn page, fitting it to match the sister-half. She reached for her roll, but just as it was in her hand, a strange noise stopped her.

"Gaba…?" They both watched in astonishment as they saw a bright glow emanate from the seam of the tear, and a soothing chime ringed through the air, and as these things faded, the page was mended. The roll dropped from Lilo's frozen hand. Stitch took one of the pages from the pile next to him, flipped the newly mended page over, and fitted the dismembered page with its tear. A moment later, the same thing occurred, and it was over. They stared at each other with uncertainty and excitement.


	7. The Little Secret

The Blue Werewolf

Part II: The True Hearted

C/By: Kenjaje

Edited by: raVen

Chapter 7: The Little Secret

October 30: 2:27 PM: Second Floor Hallway

Stitch and Lilo burst out of the elevator even before it hit the second floor. They checked her old room first, but he wasn't there. Lilo suggested the kitchen, and Stitch was already three steps ahead of her. He wasn't there either.

"Man, the guy's _always _around, why can't we find him?"

"Stitch can find!" He exclaimed, and no sooner his nose was kissing the floor with whiffs and sniffs. "Bo has strange scent, recotaka?" He told her, as he ran across the floor, his nose magnetically attached to the ground. He led her all around, trying to find the freshest scent. One trail led to the front door, and halfway down the steps. "Is stronger…but not recent…and changed somehow…" He mumbled.

"What's that mean?" She asked. He gave a shrug, and then continued back into the kitchen. "Are you sure you know where you're going?" She asked, chasing him.

"Eh! Follow!" He ordered, leading her into to laundry room. Bo was standing in the middle of the room, looking around.

"I was crazy to think it was in here…" He mumbled. Lilo came rushing up to him so quickly she slammed into his leg, throwing his balance off a tad, and threatening to make him fall down. "Whoa there, where's the fire?" He asked, holding out a hand to pick her up.

"No fire," she panted, "it's the book—"

"You found m'book?" He interrupted with a hint of excitement in his acute drawl.

"Yeah my…my dog took it." She said, giving Stitch a look of "sorry, but it was the only thing I could think of".

"He didn't…tear it up did'ee?"

"No…I did…it was an accident I swear, but there's something freaky about your book—it," Lilo looked behind her, and grabbed the book from Stitch. She opened it up, tore a page out, and showed Bo what they had done nearly a dozen times; just to be sure they weren't imagining things. Lilo looked at Bo, expecting to see the same shock and appall that she and Stitch had experienced when they saw the strange spectacle, but his face was oddly calm and stern, and his eyes were rather cold, as if they'd just crossed forbidden bounds.

"Come with me." He spoke, taking the book from her grasp. Stitch and Lilo followed him up to her old room, a dreadfully silent and distant walk, and when they were all inside, he shut the door. "You didn't tell anyone about this, did you?" Lilo's heart thundered, the strange man suddenly seemed very frightening.

"N-n-no, we came straight to you." Bo's eyes seemed to relax, and his posture seemed to lift.

"Good." He said with relief. Lilo eyed him.

"You knew, didn't you?" She said quickly. "You knew that book wasn't normal…and you probably know that it _does _have words in it too, don't you?" Bo's posture changed again, his eyes examining Lilo.

"Of course I knew," he said, his voice losing the southern accent, "but more importantly…how do _you _know?" Lilo's jaw dropped ajar, and her eyes rolled to the left, trying to fabricate a reason. She glanced over at Stitch. He nodded.

"I…I, uh…" She swallowed. "Well, uh, it was…my dog." She explained, matter-of-factly.

"Your…dog?" Bo questions, his deep, amber eyes gleaming disbelief. "Let me guess…your dog _told _you about the letters?" He asked with a bit of a tease.

"Well…yeah," Lilo replied in the same tone as before, "you see…Stitch is…" She paused, as if waiting for his further approval. He shrugged, and pushed his hands forward as if to say, "go on, go on". "My dog isn't a dog; he's actually a genetically-altered evil genius experiment." Lilo gave a big grin. Bo stared coldly for a moment, then his eyebrows relaxed, and then he gave out a small chuckle, which snowballed into a hearty laugh. "Hey! What's so funny?"

"You've got quite an imagination kiddo," he told her, his accent returning, "your dog an alien…next thing you know she's gonna tell me it can talk—"

"Miga alien!" Bo's eyes shot open at Stitch's protest, and his back slammed against the wall. The book in his hand dropped open to the floor. His chest heaved silently.

"I told you…" Lilo spoke frankly, rolling her eyes at Bo's surprise. "My dog _can _talk, pretty well actually. He knows his own language. But that's beside the matter—I want answers; I want to know why he can read that book and we can't." Lilo commanded.

"You're really pushy aren't ya?" Bo commented, recomposing himself. "Well, I suppose telling a couple won't hurt anything." He leaned down to pick up the book and walked over to the desk at the far wall. He slid the book into the door and sat down at the chair, facing them, his elbows propping on his thighs and his gloved hands folded before his face.. "Take a seat." He said, pointing the bed, and they sat.

"Tell what; hurt what?" Stitch asked, but Bo seemed to ignore him.

"That book," Bo began, "is very ancient. Its text can only be read by those who have fallen under 'the curse'." He said ominously.

"The curse," Lilo asked, "what curse?"

"The Curse of the Werewolf, of course," He told them frankly. Lilo blinked and smacked her head, feeling rather dumb, and Stitch shifted uncomfortably.

"Only werewolves can read it…that would explain why I can't, and why you can Stitch."

"Eh." He agreed.

"Well," Lilo began to ask, "If you know so much about it, what does it say?"

"That I dunno." He replied honestly. "I've worked on it for a long time, and I don't have much. In fact, you remember me talkin' about m'cousin when I first met you right?" Lilo thought back.

"Yeah, you said he went to go surprise you, and you did the same thing at the same time, and that's why you had to stay here." She recalled.

"That's what I _said_." Bo corrected. "M'cousin…is a werewolf. I been searchin' for him for a long time, and I know he's around here somewhere. I wanted to ask him if he could help me…translate the words." Lilo began to get edgy.

"You're not…a werewolf hunter…are you?" She asked sheepishly.

"Maybe…maybe not," he replied, "but that doesn't matter, if you're worried about your dog. He's safe; I can already tell he's not a werewolf."

"But you just said…" Lilo's face dawned confusion, "You said only werewolves can read that book…and Stitch can read it…"

"Well, like you said, Stitch is an alien, maybe he can read it too; who knows. But that thing _ain't _a werewolf."

"But you're wrong, Stitch _is _a werewolf, he's been a werewolf for about a year now." She protested.

"If he _were _a werewolf," Bo began, walking over to them, "he would have the mark on his left hand…or paw…or whatever he calls it." Stitch watched as Bo grabbed his arm and opened his hand. "The mark looks like a wolf's paw print, and it glows slightly purple. I don't see a paw print, do you?" Lilo glanced at his hand, and then giggled. "…what's so funny?" He asked, as Stitch began to chuckle too.

"Go ahead Stitch; show him 'the mark'." Stitch stood up on the bed, turned his left side to Bo, and let his lower-left arm punch out of his side. The look of surprise and fear took Bo's face again as Stitch opened his other left hand to reveal the faintly glowing paw print. Both of them burst into a roar of laughter.

"Right…he's an alien…shoulda seen that comin'…" Bo mumbled, recomposing himself again. As their laughter died down, Bo began to speak once more. "Well, you proved me wrong again. He's an alien, _and _he's a werewolf."

"Yup," Lilo said, hopping down from the bed, extending her hand to help Bo to his feet, "and if you're a werewolf hunter you'd better watch out."

"Oh really?" He asked, mocking threat, "an'why's that?" His eyes squinted deeply, and his face moved closer to Lilo's, but before he was too close, Stitch rose up from below, his teeth beared and his growl deep. Bo's face drew back with curiosity. "You're guarding her?" He asked.

"Eh. Naga takkata kibasa Lilo rebitaga." He snapped.

"I'd watch it if I were you, Stitch has mutant alien powers." Lilo warned.

"I guess I'd better not hunt this one then." Bo said with a tease. "I'll tell you what; if you keep this all a secret, Stitch won't be harmed by me in any way." Lilo thought for a moment, then extended her hand.

"It's a deal." They shook. "And by the way," Lilo said, as she and Stitch went out the door, "Stitch is a walking super-computer, so if you want him to help you read that book, I'm sure he'll do his best; won't you Stitch?"

"Eh." Stitch said, as they left the room, shutting the door. Bo sighed, and sat back in his chair, rubbing his thumb against the palm of his gloved left hand.

"I suppose I've been through stranger." He said to himself. "Hm…but the way that…Stitch acted. Usually werewolves aren't protective…unless…it's _that _kind." His head leaned against the back of the chair. "I guess I'll have to keep an eye on him…and if he _is that_ kind of werewolf…poor kiddo's gonna be in for some real 'eart breaks…"

"…So, I was just wondering, if you wanted me to stop?" Lilo paused, and stared into the mirror of the bathroom, the towel paused over her hair. "No…that doesn't sound right…" She told herself, continuing to dry her scalp. "Maybe I shouldn't ask him…I mean he's got to have a good reason as to why he didn't tell me he could go werewolf without the moon, right?" She asked herself, staring at her reflection as though it would talk back to her. "The last thing I want to do is make him say something he doesn't want to say…but at the same time I don't want him to feel like he's always gotta watch over his shoulder…"

She finished drying her hair, and went closer to the sink to brush her teeth, tossing the towel aside next to her dirty laundry. "I'll ask him…" She decided, "But only if he starts talking about it first. Maybe I should give it a rest for a while…try to talk about something else. That's it!" She said with a foamy smile, and spat out the paste. She opened the door to see Jumba coming down the hall.

"Finally!" He mumbled, dashing into the bathroom. Lilo quickly wondered if he heard anything, but began to think otherwise when she heard him talking, "Six peoples, and only one facility. Maybe Jumba should think about putting on an addition…" She giggled and rode the elevator up to her room.

"Hey Stitch." She greeted to her friend lying on his bed.

"Lilo," he said with a lightly serious tone, "Stitch been thinking."

"Again?" Lilo asked sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"Eh." He said sincerely, "Stitch remember being at places that were destroyed…but Stitch not actually remember being destructive." He told her.

"That's because you didn't—at least I don't believe you did. I mean, if you were going to be destructive, wouldn't you have done it a long time ago?"

"Maybe…" He said, as she went to her bed. "But, for some reason…still feel like Stitch did it. Feel guilty." He waited for Lilo to say something, but she only stared it him with concern. "Remember, Lilo said Stitch 'restless'? What if Stitch destroying places…Stitch not want to destroy anymore…but what if werewolf _make _Stitch destroy?"

"Well…let's say you are," she began hypothetically, "you already feel guilty…do you think it's _your _fault that you're being destructive, or do you think we should blame your werewolf side?" Stitch thought for a moment.

"Stitch want to blame werewolf side…but not want to use as excuse. Destroying is not One, True Place for Stitch, not anymore. Even if Stitch blame werewolf, is still Stitch that destroys…"

"I think," she began sentimentally, "that you shouldn't feel guilty at all. I mean, you said yourself that the werewolf side of you could be forcing you to do things you don't want to do, and I think you're right, and as long as you know you wouldn't do it in your normal form, and that your werewolf form is out of your control, then you don't need to be punished or anything." There was a pause as he mulled her words. "If it's worth anything," she said, "I forgive you. I mean, technically it's not your fault." Stitch sighed. "Don't worry about it; besides that was just a 'what if', I'm positive it's not you. If anything, you were probably chasing down the werewolf that bit you last year."

"Maybe…" His voice drifted. Lilo remembered the decision she had made in the bathroom just a few minutes ago, but she decided she wouldn't ask her question.

_"He's already miserable as it is…poor Stitch." _She thought with sadness. She slid underneath the blankets of her bed and pulled them up to her chin. "G'night Stitch," she bid, "try not to wake me up this morning when you come back home, ok?"

"No problem," he told her, his voice sounding rather distant and sad, "Stitch not going tonight." Lilo lifted her head and leaned on her elbow.

"You're not going?" Stitch nodded, his back facing her. "Are you sure; you've never skipped a night before…"


	8. Werewolf Hooky

The Blue Werewolf

Part II: The True Hearted

C/By: Kenjaje

Edited by: raVen

Chapter 8: Werewolf Hooky

October 31: 3:30 AM: Tower Bedroom

A light drizzle pattered against the windows of the domed bedroom. The frequent rains had dropped the temperature gradually, but tonight it was at its coldest. There was very little thunder, only a murmur here and there; the sky was calm and dark as ever. Only rustles could be heard amongst the busy nature.

Lilo had not been sleeping all that well; she was constantly clawing at the realm of sleep, trying to hold on with all of her might, but between the cold and noise, she was always teetering on the edge of awareness. She would toss, and she would turn, not quite awake, not quite asleep; in a drowsy limbo between dreams and thought.

Off-and-on all night this happened, until finally she was yanked from her sleep and brought wide awake. She opened her eyes and stared at the dark ceiling. She remained motionless, thoughtless, waiting for her mind to simply drift back off into slumber. But an irritating feeling would always intercede just when she felt she was finally dreaming.

Eventually, she decided, she must need something—some food, some water, or perhaps some warm milk. That sounded perfect. She forced her legs to carry her to the elevator, quietly down the hall—where she passed her old room, and saw a wavering light underneath the door—silently down the stairs, and cautiously into the kitchen.

Of course, it just dawned on her now that the microwave, which had planned to use to warm her glass, would pierce the silence she had so articulately maintained. But, she figured, heading to the fridge with an empty cup in hand, it probably wouldn't be loud enough to wake anyone above.

With the help of a chair, she heated the milk for only a few moments, for she was aware that Jumba's "modifications" often made their utilities drastically more powerful. Eager to sleep, she was less quiet going back up to her room. Her footsteps made thumps and the boards made creeks, and for a moment she thought she alerted the man in her room when she saw the light under the door, but then remembered it had been there when she passed before, and so she went on without a worry.

When she arrived to the quiet room, she immediately noticed the new sound in her ears; a dramatic rustling and a few grunts of discomfort, coming from the lump atop the bed attached to the wall. She drank the rest of her milk more quickly and went to set the cup down on the computer desk, and—figuring he was just cold, as she had been—went over to the rustles to help quiet him down. She searched for his covers across the side, but when she found them she realized they were pulled to his neck.

She sighed, wondering what else could be the matter, and wondered if he had just dropped his pillow, or perhaps was lying on an arm full of pins and needles. She put a hand against his neck, and immediately drew it back with concern. She placed it again, but this time her knuckles rested upon his scalp; he felt hot to the touch.

"Stitch?" She said, trying to nudge him awake. He began to rustle more violently, as if he were having a nightmare. "Stitch wake up," she reached for his shoulder and side, and they also felt burning hot, he began to struggle against her, as if fighting her. "Stitch, wake up!" She yelled with urgency, shaking him fiercely.

"Ok…" Lilo huffed, dragging a bucket full iced-water behind her after the elevator reached room-level. "Let's see," she said, plucking the thermometer out of Stitch's mouth. "Ninety-nine-point-seven," She stated, reading the numbers. "You're sure you kept it under your tongue?" She asked him, feeling his forehead again.

"Eh." He replied with a bit of irritation.

"Well…drink this," she grunted, lifting up the small bucket, "it'll cool you down." Her hand quivered as the handle passed from her to him. He did as she advised, and cringed when the cold overwhelmed him in his haste. "How do you feel?"

"Little bad…not much." He replied, handing her the empty bucket.

"Do you feel sick at all; anything sore? This fever is really sudden…" She questioned, climbing up to sit next to him.

"Naga…other than bad tooka-tooka," he pointed to his head, "Stitch feel ok."

"You don't feel hot?"

"Maybe little." He yawned, his eyelids slowly sealing shut. "Stitch going back to bed, enchujae." He said over a long, tired sigh. His head slumped on his pillow and he waited for his head to stop throbbing. A few moments went by, but he didn't hear the rustle of Lilo returning to her bed, nor did he feel her presence leave. After another moment or two, his right eye lifted up to stare at her. She was looking distantly ahead. "Lilo not sleepy?" He asked.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Lilo not want to go to sleep?" She rubbed her eyes.

"I am, I'm just waiting for you to fall asleep." She explained. Stitch's eyebrow lifted.

"Gabitcha?" He asked.

"I don't know…I thought you might've wanted me to. When I was littler, my mom would wait for me to go to sleep when I was sick to make sure I was ok." She paused, "But, I guess if you don't want me to," she began to slide away, "I'll go—" Stitch's hand firmly went across hers; she looked back at him, and he shook his head.

"Naga…don't go." Stitch said with a light plea. She smiled, and returned to his side. He smiled, closing his eyes, and not three minutes later his breathing was slow and calm. The milk, by now, had worked its magic on Lilo. A moment or two after Stitch's ascent to the realm of dreams, she was right beside to him.

The morning yielded the same chill as midnight; the sun had just barely risen above the windows, and the light had just barely left the sills. Lilo's eyelids glowed red, and she was brought to the state she had been in several hours before, between asleep and awake.

Her arms, her back, her legs and her feet were all numb. Her left hand occasionally twitched with pins and needles, and her spine quivered frequently. She felt motion next to her, and a moment later, a great source of warmth. Her drowsy mind pleaded for her to move closer; as she did, it seemed to adjust itself to her advance.

For some time she was blank again, more in the realm of sleep, until she was jarred to the in-between state again. The comforting heater moved away from her. She moved with it, this time putting an arm over it to keep it still. Her arm rose and fell steadily, and every once in a while, a warm air passed over her cold cheek and nose.

She moved close again, to the source of the warm air; she shivered as the chills left the side of her neck, replaced by the heat of the air. Slowly the air brought her more and more awake; with every pass her mind was more and more aware, until she opened her eyes. At first she could not see; the light of the sun coming in through the window made her eyes ache and wince. But as the light dimmed and her eyes adjusted, she began to see what the source of the warm air really was.

The air, which roamed over the tip of her nose, around her mouth, brushing past her cheek, and across the majority of her neck, was breath. But as she became more and more aware of her surroundings, the breath bothered her less and less; what bothered her more was how close she found the source to be. Their noses touched, and their lips just barely, and she suddenly found her arm was slumped across his shoulder.

She gasped with shock as it hit her all at once, and her body flinched away. She, and the covers lost hold of the bed and fell to a _thump_ on the carpeted floor. Her breathing was rasp; her heart thundered wildly. A rainbow of emotions from confusion to shyness fluttered about in her stomach. He—jarred awake by the noises and the absence of his blanket—stared down at her sitting on the floor with his covers draped over her left shoulder like a royal gown.

"What wrong?" He asked with concern, noting the expression of her face, the color of her cheeks, the speed of her breaths, and the glimmer on her rapidly shifting eyes. "Lilo try to wake Stitch up again? Stitch still have fever? Stitch hit Lilo?" He asked, trying to read what happened based on what was before him. Lilo swallowed dryly.

"N-n-no," she said, stifling her embarrassment, "I just got c-caught by surprise, t-that's all."

"Lilo cold?" He asked, observing her stutter. He hopped down from the bed to help her up, and wrapped his blanket over her when she was on her feet.

"Y-yeah," she said, glad for the cover-up, "a little bit. T-thanks." She began to shiver, at first naturally then dramatically to emphasize how "cold" she was. He rubbed her forearms to try and warm her up. "I'd even go for coffee to warm me up." She joked.

"Sound good!" He exclaimed, seeing an opportunity to get a mug of it himself.

"Yeah, I think we need the wake-up anyway." She said, moving to the elevator. "It's the thirty-first, and you know what _that _means!"

"Oh naga…_shots!_" Stitch said with a sarcastic horror. Lilo giggled.

"Ok then, we'll stop by the vet and get you some if you want it so badly," she joked. "We'd better wake up as quick as we can," she told him as the elevator rode them down, "we've got a ton to do today; I hope Nani got the pumpkin, and then there's the decorations, and we haven't even let the spiders loose—_we gotta get going!_"

From the moment the elevator hit the second floor, till the sky began to turn orange, the two of them were busily preparing for when the sun would climb down and descend to the land below the horizon. Lilo had not even noticed how late they were this year; decorations, candles, statues in the lawn, colors, food, candy, the Jack-O-Lantern, all of it seemed last-minute. And though their day seemed slow, they realized when they finally sat down for dinner, that it had gone by rather quickly, now that it was over.

Carlos Lo Bo had not even given them a glance or look; it was as though he'd forgotten what had happened the day before. His cheery, bright smile, quirky accent and enthusiasm helped tremendously with the work. He had a knack for getting the job done quickly and efficiently, despite the fact that no one really asked him to help.

"Can't help b'feel yall're late cuz-a me." He told them.

In a later part of the day, an hour or so before dinner, Stitch and Lilo were handed the pumpkin. Both decided that, to prevent what happened the prior year, Stitch would do the carving. But, when Lilo offered him the knife, Stitch came up with the idea to instead use his claws. The idea was probably better all around because the –Lantern was excellent—a skull and crossbones—and, "no one got hurt", Lilo said, "but then again, you didn't get hurt last year either", she added with a nudge from her elbow.

Their dinner was too large to fit in the kitchen, so they moved outside to watch the sky turn orange and purple. Stitch and Lilo ate hastily; their manner filled with agog which steadily grew the more the sun disappeared. But, before Nani would let them go, she told them that they needed to take a bath. After a long bout of groans and complaints, she and he were finally storming upstairs. Stitch was first, as he took longer to dry, and Lilo was second. Though, it can't be said they were too thoroughly clean…


	9. Knowledge of the Silent Pages

The Blue Werewolf

Part II: The True Hearted

C/By: Kenjaje

Edited by: raVen

Chapter 9: Knowledge of the Silent Pages

October 31: 7:12 PM: Bathroom

"C'mon…" Lilo begged, rubbing at her hair, "dry…dry…dry!" She commanded. "Dry-dry-dry-dry-dry-dry-dr—ah forget it!" She threw the towel on the ground and snatched the hairbrush sitting on the side of the sink. She ran to the elevator, furiously breaking the knots in her wet and mangled hair. Halfway up, the elevator began to shudder, and catch. "Stupid!" Lilo slammed her foot down, and the ride returned to normal.

"One second Stitch," Lilo said, her hair only getting worse with the way she was brushing it, "just as soon as—" she winced, yanking a knot loose, "I get my hair back to normal we can go. Then if we're lucky we can still make the Aloha party." She jumped up on the bed and flipped her hair over, brushing it the other way, giving the occasional yelp when a knot refused to budge. Finally when she was done, she whipped her head upright, and immediately fell backward, her vision sparkling.

"Whoa…bloodrush." She moaned, as her temples returned back to normal. "Ok, ok! C'mon, we gotta get you fixed up now! Unless you're thinking of using your own costume..." She said, finally staring at Stitch, who was standing in front of an open window. The whole time he hadn't said a word. Even now he gave no recognition of Lilo's urging. "Hello?" Lilo asked, dragging out the "o"; she walked toward him, his head seemed to vibrate against the orange sky.

She took his wrist, and unhooked it from the window, and then she ran to the elevator "Ok let's go!" But when she maximized his arm span, she couldn't go any farther, and she fell backward. "What are you made of stone or something?" she tugged at him, trying to loosen him. "You must be made of stone," she grunted, "you're fingers feel like ice." Despite her efforts he didn't budge.

"Ok, plan-B, let's go, Lilo wants candy." She slapped her hands across his shoulders, and her fingers felt his temperature change rapidly to boiling. "Wow!" Lilo exclaimed, backing away, "Are you sick again? I knew I shouldn't have let you run out in the rain," she scolded herself, "Let's get you some ice-water." She gently put her hands on his shoulders, and this time he shivered. "Are you…cold?"

Stitch's entire body began to tremble, but it didn't look to Lilo like shivering, more like he was resisting something. "Stitch, talk to me," she pleaded with concern, "what's—." Lilo leaned in just as she spoke, and tried to turn Stitch's chin. Just when her finger barely touched, he viscously turned, and pushed Lilo through the air. She screamed, her heart skipping beats as she felt her insides churn. She arched, and landed on her bed with a quick expulsion of air.

A moment later, her breath returned, and she sat up, just in time to see an elongated tail wisp past the window. Able to move but still unable to speak, she rushed to the sill to see the dark-blue werewolf running toward the town. She gazed at the sun, a quarter of it still peeking over the ocean. A voice inside her said something wasn't right, and then Bo snapped into her mind.

_"If anyone will know what's going on…he will." _She thought, rushing to the elevator, tripping along the way. She dove out before it hit the ground and rolled to her feet without stopping. She covered the hallway in nothing flat, and opened the door with a loud clack. Bo sat in the chair before his desk, his body halfway turned, his left eye bulged and staring.

"…Yes?" He asked, as Lilo panted in the doorway. "Where's the fire?"

"No fire," she said through heaves, stepping in and shutting the door, "it's Stitch." Bo set down the pencil that was held in his gloved right hand, and turned his chair.

"You're dog—or alien—whatever you call him?"

"Yeah…he's," Lilo swallowed, her throat dry from the rasps, "he's acting really strange, and weird things are happening to him." Bo pointed to the bed, and she took his invitation to rest.

"Weird things like what?" He asked, his voice very straightforward, as if he didn't yet know whether or not to be concerned.

"Well, last night, he didn't transform, because he didn't want to, and he had this fever—"

"Aw, don't be concerned 'bout that," Bo said, putting up a hand and smiling. "I figure he's never skipped a transform'n b'fore?"

"No, never." Lilo replied.

"Well, there's n'need t'worry. Skippin' is actually very stressful for werewolves. S'like catchin' a cold. A fever's typical, and the next day the skipper's usu'lly really aggressive'n quiet. If he ended up breakin' somethin', I wouldn't be too surprised. Don't make him feel too guilty, it's really not _his_ fault." Bo smiled with sympathy. Lilo wondered where the other Bo went—that solemn and grim Bo, the werewolf hunter.

"I never make him feel guilty…he always makes himself feel guilty." She said aloud, although she didn't actually mean to. Bo let out a chuckle.

"A self-conscious werewolf; now there's a first for me!" He cheered. "But, don't worry too much if something comes up. And if you're wondering about anything, I know a thing or two." He paused to stretch his back. "The only time you should really worry is if he transforms without the full moon—_then _we have a problem." He joked with a laugh. He expected Lilo to laugh as well, but when he calmed down, her face was frozen and her eyes were filled with dread. "Hey, what's the matter?"

"He _can_." Lilo's voice quivered. "He's always been able to transform when the moon's almost full—like up to a few days, maybe four. Then he transformed the other night, when the clouds were covering the sky and the storm was starting. He told me he found out he could transform without it in the middle of _July_." Bo's eyes began to narrow.

"Better not be pullin' m'leg kiddo…" He muttered. Lilo shook her head.

"I'm not…honest." There was a pause between them, and Bo let out a very long sigh. "…What does it mean?" Lilo finally garnered the courage to ask. "Why do I have to worry about him transforming without the full moon? Does it mean he's gonna be worse? I can deal with him being mean and grumpy; he's usually that way anyway…" Bo let out another troubled sigh.

"I _wish _it were that, kiddo." He told her. "And also wish I didn't have to say why to someone like you…it'd be a lot easier if you were older…" He trailed, but the look in her eye was absolute. His thumb rubbed against his gloved left palm. "For most, being a werewolf is a very temporary thing, in a sense. They only have to worry when the moon gets brighter and brighter, then it happens, and then they don't have to worry for a while. It's like taking a test, or paying taxes. But," he reached behind him, and opened the drawer to the desk, and pulled out the old book.

"This book is where I learned everything I know about werewolves—everything I could translate that is. And there's another type of werewolf. There's the normal temporary kind…and then there's the kind who are quite possibly like your friend…they are werewolves that slowly, but surely, become werewolves…permanently." Lilo's heart skipped.

"P-permanent…like for-_forever_?" Bo nodded.

"I've never actually heard of it happening before…this is definitely my first experience with this situation…that's for sure." The look on the girl's face almost made Bo cry, but his age wouldn't allow it.

"You're not lying…are you…you're not just doing this because you hunt werewolves?" Bo shook his head. Lilo brought her knees to her chin, where she sat silently for a few moments. "But…but…" Bo was expecting her to break, and bawl, and talk about how she would be able to accept it anyway. However, what hit his ears was a rather calm voice, as if she had long finished her tears, "There's a way, right?"

"A…a way?" Bo asked, squinting and rubbing at his eyes.

"A way to change him back…that book, doesn't it say something? I mean…there's got to be a way, magic or something, to change him back?" At first, Bo wanted to say there wasn't, and give his condolences, but his memory quickly stopped him. He thought for a moment, to make sure he was remembering it correctly, and not just coming up with this memory to satisfy a little girl's hopes.

"There might be," he said, using words that would ensure Lilo it was indefinite. "This book," he motioned it, "periodically refers to someone known as 'The True Hearted'."

"The True Hearted…" Lilo repeated.

"The book often uses riddles when referring to The True Hearted and one in particular mentions that The True Hearted is, 'a werewolf, but not quite; one who is able to change at will.' In another, it says, 'when the desire is great, he with a True Heart will come to dispel the curse for all'." Lilo repeated the phrases then began to think aloud.

"Do you think it's Stitch?" She asked. "I mean, before Stitch becomes…permanent," she spoke with a shudder, "he's able to transform into a werewolf whenever he wants…to tell you the truth," she added, "That's why I came down here. Stitch turned into a werewolf while the sun was still up just a little while ago." Lilo glanced out the window to see that the sky was already pitch-black.

"He meets that, yes, but what about the other part; how badly does he want to be back to normal."

"_Both_ of us want it more than anything." She assured him.

"Well…it's only a myth but I think with your reasoning…but don't get your hopes up, ok?"

"Ok…but what do I do? How do we dissipel the curse?"

"Dispel?" Bo asked, correcting her. She gave an urgent growl. "Here," Bo thrust the book in front of her, which she took out of reflex. "The book is the real key to dispelling the curse. I'm not exactly sure what happens, but it's somehow supposed to react to The True Hearted when his desire to be back to normal is great enough."

"Ok, got it."

"But there's a chance," Bo added, "that he might have to read something. I'd hate to say it but you're fighting against time, it seems like your friend doesn't have much longer until he's unchangeable, and that includes his voice. If he can't read the spell…"

"He _will_." Lilo told the man flatly. She left the door, book in hand, and went up to her room. "Where did I put that thing?" She began to rummage through her toy chest set on a perpendicular path to her bed.

"Here it is!" She exclaimed, pulling out a radar device with a box screen and a long handle. She flipped the switch on the side. "It's a good thing I had Jumba make this, to keep track of him." She said to herself. "Maybe I should tell him about it after this is over…then he'll believe me when I say he wasn't in town during those destructions." She picked up her things and went downstairs, racing past the kitchen to the front door, when Nani stepped in her way. Lilo hit her sister with a slam and fell back, the book dropping out of her arm.

"And just where do you think you're going…?" Nani asked with an angry voice.


	10. Haven

The Blue Werewolf

Part II: The True Hearted

C/By: Kenjaje

Edited by: raVen

Chapter 10: Haven

October 31: 8:17 PM: Living Room

"Ow…Nani, get out of the way!" Lilo hissed, running past her sister. Nani grabbed at Lilo's shirt, catching her, and pulled her back.

"Hey! What're you in such a hurry for?"

"I gotta go after Stitch!" Lilo explained. "We're…playing hide and seek." She added, to give an excuse to her haste.

"On Halloween? What, trick-or-treating getting to boring for you now?"

"No…it's…" Lilo trailed, unable to think of an explanation, but she played it to sound like it was too hard to explain.

"Well, whatever you two are up to, you should at least put your costume on first. I didn't buy that thing for nothing, you know." She said, taking Lilo into the kitchen, where her costume was set out on the table.

The whole thing together was much more elaborate than just the headband; there was also a set of paws that rested on the top of the hand, held in place by a band that looped around the wrist. There were also feet that attached in the same manner to the calves, and last a cape which was tied with thick straps to keep it secure. All of these parts, including the headband, were coated in with a black hide for realism.

Along with such an elaborate costume came the agonizing wait to put it on. Though Lilo slapped the paws and headband, Nani spent careful time in tying the cape, constantly asking her sister if it was too tight or too loose.

"C'mon, hurry up!" Lilo moaned.

"Hold still and it'll go faster. Besides, it's not like Stitch isn't going to come back if you don't find him." After another moment, Nani declared, "Ok, go away and don't be gone too long, always stay in lit areas—"

"Ok, thanks, whatever, bye!" Lilo shouted, halfway down the steps already. Nani watched as her costume melded quickly with the dark night.

"I wish that girl came with a manual." She sighed, shutting the door.

Back in Lilo's old room, Bo sat at his desk, trying to write. But he was trying, and unable to, ever since Lilo had rushed out the door. He expelled an anxious breath, and rose with agitation, slamming his pencil to the desk.

"Can't even think straight." He said to himself. "If fate really does exist it's sure having fun playing with that little girl." He thought for a minute, the look on Lilo's face coming back in his mind. "I can't stand it anymore!" He stifled from yelling. "It's bad'nuff other people have to live w'the curse, but a lil' girl?" He went to the window, with its curtains closed.

"An' with all that destruction that's been on the news…" He brushed the curtains to one side, but did not look anywhere in particular. "There's no way jus' one werewolf could'a caused so much in a few nights. Not even two…not even a _pack_." He grumbled at himself. "An' I just sent a lil' girl out with no clue what's goin' on. I practically told them to pass it on to her…" He pushed the curtains to either side, and opened up the window. The cool night air blew in.

"Chances are there's a few dozen out there, if not more, and if she gets bit it'll be all my fault. That Stitch guarded her against me before, without him I'll bet she's pretty vulnerable…I can't let that happen. If that Stitch really is The True Hearted, then maybe this won't all be in vain…" His eyes finally centered on the full moon above.

The crisp night air started to irritate deep in Lilo's throat as she ran, heaving, and her bare feet thudding loudly and sinking slightly in the mudded road. She felt cold, realizing that in her haste she forgot to change her shorts to pants and put on shoes, but her costume helped to keep her warm.

Her eyes were now adjusted to the light of the full moon blaring in the sky. It caste long shadows across the moistened mud and made the dark corners appear darker, and the bright stretches seem eerie and dangerous to run through. But what was perhaps more eerie than the moonlight, was the silence; houses lit and unlit, decorated and drab, were all deathly quiet.

She glanced at the locater, the blip on the screen nearing, but still rather far away. She turned a corner to another street—which had no car or person on it at all—and headed in that direction for a good long time, until something caught her ear. She halted, the wind blowing the cape away from her, causing her legs to shiver and her breathing to rasp. She waited, and listened, and heard the noise again.

A growl that sounded much louder, and much more threatening than a dog's, came from her left. She turned, and wished she had brought a flashlight with her. She stepped back, her gut's advice, and spoke without fear, though inside she was leaping.

"Who's there?" She questioned. "Come out!" She quickly glanced at the locater; Stitch's blip was still very far away according to it, but it could be slightly off. "I said come out!" The growling intensified for a second or two, and then stopped. Lilo squinted, trying to see what was there, and then was struck with such terror that had her legs not given way the creature wouldn't have been missed.

With a flicker of light and three barks, a large werewolf leapt from the shadows at her. Her body stiffened but her legs caved in, and just as the audible _snap _of a pair of jaws crushed together, her shoulder had gotten out of the way. She recovered; her heart furious and her breathing staggered.

The outline of the werewolf gleamed in front of her, its face and legs shadowed by the moonlight, but the edges of its ears, back, nose and tail were caught in an aura. Its eyes were pearl-black, its nose slightly red, and its fur a flowing yellow. It looked familiar, but she knew who it wasn't.

"You're not Stitch!" Her voice was distorted with stress. The werewolf backed up, and reared, but she flew before it leapt again. It landed with a crash as her legs pushed her forward. She could feel her arteries pulsing. The werewolf began to chase after her. Her legs began to lose there feeling. The werewolf began to get closer, just barely at the nip of her costume's cape. Without thinking, she ducked into the shadows between two buildings, just before the wolf bit down upon the fabric, and it passed her up.

She waited, her temples throbbing and legs tremblinh. She waited—but she was a sitting duck. If the werewolf returned she wouldn't be able to escape, but fear neglects judgment. Her breathing returned to normal, her heart began to slow, and she forced her legs from quivering.

She stayed in her hiding place for quite some time; fear also neglects time. She set the book beside her, and the locater upon it. The moon began to peek over the houses across the street, and slowly the light crept into her haven. She moved into the darker corner, underneath the steps of one of the houses, and stayed in silence.

_"Is this whole _town _under the curse?" _Her mind flared. _"How did this happen? And why _now_?" _She shivered from the cold, the heat of her adrenaline subsiding. _"…No matter how scared I am…" _She thought with determination, _"I've gotta get to Stitch before he becomes a werewolf…permanently…" _Just as she had gathered her bravery, and her items, and had just poked her head out from the underbelly of the stairs, she heard a noise, and felt a tremor in the earth.

"What in the world—!" Her voice was consumed by an animosity of yelping, barking, growling, trembling and the beating of paws against the ground. The shadows of werewolves passed where the light crept into her haven, and she could see and hear and feel a large number of them—uncountable—running through the streets. She did not feel safe at all, and nearly fell with freight when one werewolf turned and tried to get at her. Possibly the same one from before, but his nose looked both red and dark brown at the same time. However threatening, she was safe under the stairs; it was too big and couldn't fit under the widest space. It gave up, and then joined the others in the stampede.

When it was all over, the deathly silence returned quickly over the street, now riddled with paw prints, but was suddenly interrupted by a steady beeping. Lilo picked up the locater; Stitch's blip was coming her way. She peered out from under the stairs, and saw him pass—the color of his fur, the pearl gloss of his eyes, the power in his pace, his stature. She could tell it was him even without the locater.

"Stitch! _Stitch!_" She yelled to him, coming out from the stairs, the book in her arm. He turned. "Stitch! I'm _so _glad I found you!" She said with relief, running up to him. He merely stood, his eyes gazing to her but not at her. When she neared, and gestured for him to come with her, he stepped back. "…What's wrong?" Lilo asked.

"Li…lo…" He spoke slowly, deeply, hoarsely. "Not…safe…leave." He commanded.

"Leave? But Stitch, I can't leave, I have something I need to tell you; you're—"

"_Gasatcha!_" He roared.

"I'm not gonna leave! Stitch, you're in danger, you could—"

"Stitch…not…normal…" He told her, blinking his eyes. They glowed green. "Li…lo…go!" He ordered again.

"No Stitch!" She yelled. "You don't understand; you're werewolf side is starting to take over, if you don't let me explain—" He blinked his eyes again, they flared red, and he stepped closer to her.

"Stitch…not…want…hurt…" He threatened and growled.

"Stop it Stitch…" Lilo's voice quavered, "You're not listening. You're turning into a werewolf, p-p-permanent—" Lilo's fear quickly came back again. Stitch's eyes pierced her, his growl shook her, and his advance made her retreat. "Stitch…please!" He did not heed; before she could move, his shadow enveloped her; his teeth gleamed inches away from her shoulder.


	11. The White Monster

The Blue Werewolf

Part II: The True Hearted

C/By: Kenjaje

Edited by: raVen

Chapter 11: The White Monster

October 31: 9:12 PM: Moonlit Street

Everything was as quick as a flickering candle being blown out; was faster than a heartbeat; but time, being the shady concept that it is, turned nanoseconds into minutes. The bright red flare of Stitch's eyes reflected off of Lilo's and palely turned the dark hue of her face to a matte crimson.

Her heart began to compress, her fingers just barely twitched. His teeth began to close; his weight began to send him down. One by one the strands of her hair rose past the side of her head as she started to fall back. Her heart reached the apex of the beat, and just as she felt it quiver, his teeth closed down on her shoulder.

The pressure of his canines pressed against the fabric of her shirt; his breath was sickly warm. The ridges on the bridge of his snout were thick and divided by deep trenches of shadow. She couldn't see him; all that was in her vision was the dark sky and the vibrant full moon. The second sound of her heartbeat vibrated through her, and the jaws collapsed together, and a yelp of pain erupted from him.

Lilo slammed against the dirt; she gripped her shoulder, sure that she was bit. But she felt no pain, felt no change, and her hands felt no wound. The only injury was to her shirt, and the only change was a small loss of heat. She backed away, clutching the book in her arms, and stood to her feet, and then, as she gazed to the scene before her, the book fumbled in her grasp.

Up until now, the only werewolves she had seen ran on four legs and were only half a foot or so taller than she. But, in front of her was a familiar, and yet not so familiar, werewolf. He was a monstrous figure, standing nearly three times her size on two gargantuan paws. The hair on his body was so white that it nearly reflected the light of the full moon. His tail draped to the ground as if it were a decoration, or an article of clothing, and his teeth and claws glimmered at the ready. His eyes seemed to flicker with an amber flame.

She saw the blue mass of Stitch recovering to a stand, his face rigid and piercing, as though he was both a hero and a villain. Lilo wondered, in that course of a second or two, of what had exactly had happened. Had Stitch leaped to bite her, or was he only trying to get her out of the way of this monster?

Both of the werewolves ignored Lilo. Immediately they began to fight, powerfully. Stitch's body blurred past the brute, and snapped around to attack from behind, but the white monster turned and gripped Stitch by the scruff of his neck, and threw him down to the ground. Lilo expelled a wincing yelp as Stitch hit the ground with a _crack_. The white monster, as though he just saw her, turned, and began to walk in her direction. Lilo fell, crippled by fear, and watched the giant approach her, but before it was within a foot, it let out a holler of pain and fell forward. Stitch's claws gripped into its back. The monster howled, and before Stitch was thrown from his back, he managed to yell out to Lilo:

"_Run!_" She rolled to her knees, and her feet scraped the mud as she started to run. She looked back one last time, to see werewolves emerging from the shadows, coming to the white monster's aide. Her fear took over. She ran without direction, without thought, without destination; she merely ran through terror. She ran for minute, after minute, after minute, and finally once her legs were numb, and her breath was staggered, she tripped and fell. As she lied in the middle of the street, she could still hear the fierce battle going on between her companion and the white monster.

_"What am I doing?" _She thought desperately, _"Why did I run away? I can't run—this town is completely cursed, there's nowhere to go! I've got to help him; I've got to help Stitch!" _Her eyes burst open and her body erupted to life. She stood as quickly as she could and centered the snout of the headband off of her left eye. She stared at the book, covered in mud, and picked it up. "I'm coming Stitch, hold on!"

What she saw when she arrived, she did not expect; many werewolves had gathered, what seemed like half the number she had seen stampeding through the town. She ducked into the crevice before her haven in the stairs and peered around the wall. She was not afraid, she was cautious. There was too much going on to tell who was where; the white monster, and all the other wolves, seemed to be fighting. But where was Stitch?

It was soon apparent, to her appall, that the werewolves were not fighting against the white monster, they were fighting _with _it. Even though the sounds of the wolves were overwhelming, she could still hear the cries coming from the only blue werewolf. Her ears ached every time she heard it, and she tried to find where he was from the noise, but there was too much too fast, he was invisible against the glowing hides in the moonlight.

Finally she saw him, he had broken away, and he was running down the street. From the way he looked, she could barely recognize him. Her heart shattered as she saw him, and soon despair took hold as the mass of werewolves chased after him. She gripped the book in her arms, her body trembling, her eyes welling. The worst thing fear can neglect is reason, and so hers was as she ran out into the open.

"Stop!" She yelled, as though the command would be heard. The wolves' voices seemed to grow louder. "Stop!" She combated their growls, their bays, their snarls, _his _yelps. "Stop!" The white monster picked the blue werewolf up off the ground and held him high into the air. She couldn't take it any longer, she closed her eyes and shouted so loud her voice began to crack, "_Stop!_"

Not a faster silence spread. Amber eyes that glowed like candles all stared at her. For a moment, she realized what she had done, and felt herself victim to the same punishment they had given the blue werewolf. But they stood still. For a full minute, there was no movement.

"L…let him go." She finally spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. The white monster, which held the blue werewolf by the scruff of its neck, set him gently down on his side. She stepped forward, hesitantly, and every wolf stepped back. As she drew near, they receded, and formed a half-circle around her, lining the streets and shadows. She gazed around, and watched as they all leaned down, and stared up at her as though they were bowing.

Tears fell on the edge of the book, and seeped into the cracks of the pages. Lilo dropped her possession and ran toward the werewolf, his body riddled with bites and wounds. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and lied atop his back to feel his heartbeat. She gazed at his wounds, which were slowly healing; slow like the sun sets, how every few minutes seems like no change occurs at all, but every ten or so it gets darker and darker.

"Li…" Her eyes snapped open, and she stared at his mouth. "L…i…" His voice was severely distorted; it rose and fell to every pitch, and he could barely pronounce the letters right, but somehow she understood.

"It's ok Stitch," she stifled tears, "you'll be ok."

"Can't…g…o…ba…ack." He told her.

"Don't speak; you're losing your voice."

"Sti…i…tch—" He tried to speak, but he could only let out a soft bark.

"You what…what? Tell me…tell me you can talk…you have to talk to go back…say something!" She began to panic. Stitch tried to speak again, but only barks left his snout. "I…I'm too late…"

From all around, every werewolf seemed to react; a murmur of whimpers, slow and low, fell over all of them. One by one, tears fell down her cheeks. She sat rigged, staring at the blue werewolf without a word. She was startled only by the touch of a gleaming claw to her face. At first she flinched with fear, but the claw calmly lifted away.

The white monster slowly moved his hand, and Lilo saw that he had a drop of her tear on the tip of his claw. In his other hand, was the book, now opened. The werewolf tilted it toward her, and she watched as he let the tear drop from his claw to the page below, and as it hit the paper, a strange, feint light glimmered.

The white monster then handed her the book. She stared down at it, stray tears still falling on from her cheeks onto the paper. Each drop that broke, seemed to give off a light, and quickly she saw that bright lines were taking shape. Though no more tears fell onto the page, there was enough already to work the magic, and within moments, letters, words, sentences, and stanzas, formed atop the page in an ancient writing.

Lilo stared with both amazement and curiosity; she tried to turn the page to see if it had happened anywhere else, but the page would not turn. The corner lifted, but it was as though the bright words were too heavy to lift. She brushed her hand across the page, and yet another strange thing; though her hands passed over the bright letters, they did not disappear with the page. They merely jumped up on her hand, as though they were not actually on the page but gleaming right in her eyes.

"Moonlight…" She said, her eyes passing a series of letters. "Hallows…Eve—All Hallows Eve. …I can read this?" She looked up to where the white monster once stood, but it was no longer there. She looked around for it, but all she could see were the amber eyes of the distant werewolves, watching her. She held the book in her hands, and, to her amazement, she began to read the words, though she had never seen them before, as though a voice inside were reading for her.

"_When moonlight bathes the tops of trees,_

_And many howl, and whimper with plea;_

_On this sacred night, All Hallows Eve,_

_Will I, True of Heart, set all werewolves free."_

There was a long moment of silence after she had read the verse; clouds began to fill the sky as though someone were calling them forth. The moon was swiftly covered, and its light was blown away. Bolts of lightning raced across the sky, but it did not rain, nor did it thunder. They seemed to grow more intense and brighter, until finally one of them struck down from the sky, and hit the book in Lilo's hands. She yelled with fright, throwing the book to the ground and backing away, tripping over her own feet.

Around her, all of the werewolves began to howl. First one, then another, and then a few more—steadily more and more joined in, and even though they were all presently baying, more howls still started, as though every cursed werewolf on the planet were rejoicing. The wind also began to howl, but not the deep howl of a werewolf, the loud and flowing moan that carries rain and snow and hail. But it seemed as though this wind were carrying the weather of howls.

One by one the wolves disappeared around her, like figures in a dream fading as the dreamer awakens. Everything around her that was involved with them seemed to be fading as well—their paw prints in the mud, and the destruction of the street. As the wind died, so did the howls, and the lightning, and soon even the clouds were swept away. And as the light came on the street, everything appeared back to normal, but with the same silence as it possessed before, when she first ran into town.

She thought she was all alone. All the werewolves were gone, but those that were cursed were now returned, possibly sleeping. She walked forward to the book, closed in the middle of the street, and reached out to pick it up to walk home, but a noise behind her made her turn. The last cloud dissipated, and in the moonlight stood the silhouette that she had thought she would never see again.


	12. To The Way Things Were Before

The Blue Werewolf

Part II: The True Hearted

C/By: Kenjaje

Edited by: raVen

Chapter 12:

To The Way Things Were Before

November 1: 12:01 AM: Moonlit Street

For a second, she wondered if her eyes were tricking her, but her feet already knew what she wanted to do. She ran to him with a tired pace, and her arms wrapped around his shoulders, and her cheek brushed against his. He was real.

"I thought you were a werewolf forever." She told him. For the longest time he did not respond, nor did he move; she had long ago expected to feel his arms wrap around her but they did not. She drew back to see his head hanging with guilt, and his ears draped in a melancholy cloak over his shoulders. "…What's wrong?" She asked, confused at his sadness when he should be relieved.

"Stitch…almost bite Lilo." He said softly.

"Almost," she said, wrapping her arms around him once again, "but you didn't."

"And…was mean…"

"You skipped the other night, it's not—"

"And…destroyed…"

"No you didn't; you didn't touch—"

"But…worst—"

"Stitch—"

"When Lilo try to help—"

"Stitch I—"

"Stitch wouldn't—"

"_Listen!_" Lilo shouted; Stitch's lips paused mid-sentence. Lilo looked slightly downward at his pearled eyes blackened with grief. "I don't care…about any of that." She began softly, "I don't care about what you did, or didn't, do—it doesn't matter. All I really care about…is you." She watched his eyes droop, as though he felt he couldn't look at her. "I mean," she added, lowering to her knees, "I care about how you feel. Ever since I found out you really were a werewolf…I just didn't want you to feel like you were alone or something. But I never understood if I was helping or just…getting in the way."

"Naga!" He retorted quickly. Now she couldn't look at him. His arms finally rose. "Lilo understood. Stitch not understand Lilo."

"Stop blaming yourself!" She growled.

"But Lilo not do anything bad, Lilo not werewolf. Stitch werewolf." Lilo's arms gripped tighter.

"You know," she said, almost with anger, "when Nani grounded you, I told her that she might as well have grounded me. Even though you tell me it's all _your_ fault and _you_ are the werewolf, I don't believe you. I was just as much a werewolf as you were."

Stitch didn't fight her this time. His body slumped forward, and began to quiver every few seconds; Lilo felt something fall onto the back of her neck, and heard him sniffle. She started to rub his back and immediately the quivering and sniffling was more frequent; he was stifling, but he was breaking down.

After a moment, Lilo wondered if she had made him start. The thought made the corners of her eyes swell. _"Don't cry." _She told herself. _"Stitch needs someone to cry _on_, not cry _with._" _She heard a loud sniff, and his hands closed tightly on her shirt, pulling on the fabric. She moved from his back to his shoulders.

"_You'd think we'd be happy," _she realized, _"There's no more werewolves, no more monthly fear, no more curse; and instead of crying with joy…he's crying because he's sad…" _Nonetheless, Lilo couldn't help but feel a sense of being needed; she felt that, by allowing her to support him, she was becoming a closer friend than ever before.

Neither of them quite knew for how long they stood, for they still embraced even after Stitch's tears had emptied. Another cloud passed by overhead, and suddenly Lilo began to feel shy and embarrassed. She was quickly aware again that they were in the middle of the street, and on both sides were houses with lights blazing in the windows. Her cheeks went crimson, her hands stopped, and she broke away from him gently. "W…we should get back." She suggested, rather quickly. "Unless…you still want to go trick-or-treating?" Stitch tried to hide the streaks on his cheeks.

"J-ju?" He asked back, his voice still quivering and his nose still sniffling.

"Not really." She replied, complying with his feelings by pretending like she didn't notice his outbreak.

"Tambia." He told her calmly, his voice back to normal.

"All right then…let's go home." She said, and motioned for him to follow along. But he followed at a distance, staying a foot or two behind her. She glanced back occasionally; he still seemed sad. Once, when she glanced, he was turned around, looking back up at the moon. She approached him slowly, and put an arm across his shoulders. "It's ok," she whispered, understanding his posture, "you're not like that anymore." She gripped his hand, and twined her fingers. "You were _never _like that." She started to walk again, and he went with her hand.

Lilo gasped, bolting upright in her bed; her right hand crossed her chest and she clasped at her shoulder. She felt the tear in the fabric. A cold, damp sweat had collected on the collar of the black shirt she wore the night before. Fragments of her dream came back to her in frayed strands of teeth gleaming and eyes flashing; whatever it was, it was a nightmare it seemed.

Her hands fell atop her knees, and from her right knee shot a very sensitive pain. She bent her knee close to her chest, pushed away the covers, and saw that there was a band-aid covering a thick, dark bruise. She couldn't remember how it got there, or where the bruise specifically came from. The room began to brighten as a cloud moved away from the sun. Lilo glanced down at the side of her bed, where she heard a snore. Stitch's head rested upon his arms, leaning onto the edge of the bed. His knees supported him on the floor.

The morning before snapped into her mind; she shivered with embarrassment as she recalled the few seconds where her eyes opened, and her nose touched his. She shuddered as she thought about what would have happened if she hadn't woken up. The thought made her stomach quiver as if she didn't want to think about it, but it made her heart leap as if she did want to. But her stomach took control.

"Hey." She shook him. He woke easily. "That's a weird way to sleep." She commented, hiding her embarrassment from him while he loosened his stiff arms and relaxed his aching back. "Why were you sleeping there?"

"Lilo asked." He replied.

"When?"

"Walking home, Lilo trip and fall, and said was still afraid. Asked Stitch to keep company until sleep. Stitch stayed…guess Stitch fell sleep too." He explained. However, he did not tell the whole story. He left out pieces on purpose, and it was not the full truth. She did fall, and when she did, she landed on a sharp stone. Stitch helped her to her feet, but she fell because she had fallen asleep from the stress of the night.

He then picked her up and carried her by her knees and back. Along the way, her arm rose to his shoulder, and her hand lightly placed itself on his neck. He carefully, so as not to wake her, scaled the wall of the house to the tower, where he opened the window and slid in, setting her down on her bed. He took off the werewolf costume, and retrieved supplies to clean the injury to her knee. Once he was done, he covered her, and stood to go to his bed, but she mumbled something to him in her dream. He turned back around, and quietly sat against the bed.

_"She told me…it wasn't my fault," _he thought, looking over at her face. _"She says…I'm not to blame. I don't get it!" _He lowered his head, burying his eyes in his arms. _"When I cause trouble and deny it, I get blamed. Now I'm causing trouble and accepting it, and she's yelling at me telling me _not _to blame myself!" _His mind went quiet, and he settled down.

"_She believes that the werewolf was like a different person; that's why she says it's not my fault. I believe that even though the werewolf was a different side of me…I still had to take responsibility for its actions, because everyone would blame me anyway if they knew. They wouldn't see a werewolf destroying things…they'd only see me." _He paused and sighed. _"But she's right…and she said she cared about me. And…she didn't even get angry at me…not even after I attacked her—tried to _bite_ her! She really did care…"_

"Hello…"

"Gaba?" Stitch's eyes blinked as his mind snapped back to the present.

"You looked like you fell asleep again." She told him. "And you're blushing." Stitch turned away. Although it was hard to tell, she somehow always saw it on his face. Stitch looked back to her, his expression was suddenly solemn, or getting solemn.

"If Stitch not tell Lilo yet…thanks." She smiled heartily. "Thanks for lots." His voice drifted warmly. She rubbed his head, which made his blush come out more, and she started to speak, when she was interrupted.

"Hey Lilo!" Nani's voice traveled through the air, shattering it like glass. "Help Bo with his things!" Lilo sighed and started to get out of bed. She took a couple steps toward the elevator, but then stopped and turned back around. She looked at Stitch, their eyes meeting. He saw the most peculiar glimmer in her eyes.

"And if I haven't told you yet…" She drew close, her hand cupping under his chin. He thought she was going to whisper something in his ear, but her lips stopped short at his cheek; it was much longer than her usual her pecks. A wave of warmth rippled through Stitch's body, making him shiver and causing all the hair on his body to stand on end. His ears twitched, half clueless toward what was occurring. She drew back, and he looked at her, but her eyes weren't able to keep contact with his.

"Lilo! Wake up! Don't make me come up there!"

"I'm awake, _I'm awake!_" She shouted back, taking the excuse to turn her head. "Uh…hey Stitch, what'd you do with the book?" He pointed to her bedside table, where the book resided, and her costume mask atop it. She thanked him and grabbed both, running to the elevator. He paused to muse the moment over, and followed her when it came back up. When she arrived to her old room downstairs, it was nearly empty of belongings, and Bo stood in the middle of it. "You're leaving?" She asked, as Stitch came through the door.

"Yup, I gotta go. Only other flight back to Texas in a couple days, s's'now'r'never." Lilo walked slowly toward him, and held up the book in her hand.

"Here…you can have this back," she said, as he took it with his bare hand, "we don't need it anymore." He held it in both hands, his massive knuckles bulging around its corners. "Stitch is back to normal…the curse is gone. But we were wrong; Stitch wasn't the True Hearted." Bo smiled.

"I know." Lilo gave him the eyebrow.

"So…you knew all along it was me?"

"No. I really thought it was Stitch, until I _realized _it was you."

"When did you realize that?" Bo didn't respond; he merely looked down at Lilo with a smile. Something caught Lilo's attention; something about Carlos seemed to stand out suddenly. She couldn't quite place it; it was something about his face. It wasn't his smile, it wasn't his tan, nor was it his strange accent. Her eyes wandered to the strangely white hair.

"What's he doing?" Bo asked. Lilo watched as Stitch started to sniff his shoes.

"Oh," Lilo said rolling her eyes, "he's just—stop it Stitch, it's rude!—he said that you smelled uh… 'funny', but I told him it was just because—"

"Bo not smell anymore!" Stitch announced. She wondered why he was so ecstatic about the smell, and then he added, "Bo not smell like—!" The man put a hand around Stitch's mouth. Lilo's eyes widened.

"Smell like a…you mean, _you're—_"

"Shh." Bo leaned in close to her, and whispered, "_You _were the one that said I was the werewolf _hunter_, remember?" He drew back and let Stitch go. "I just never confessed. Not that it matters anymore."

"Boy was I a little off." She said with a smirk. He let out a chuckle.

"So does that mean…you were the big one? Your hair…"

"Yeah…that'd be me. I stand out like a roman candle don'I?"

"Yeah…you did," she told him. "All the other werewolves were on four feet instead of two, except you. You looked like the werewolves from the movies; what's up with that?"

"The curse is like any disease I suppose," Bo shrugged, "it mutates and changes over generations." He smiled, "But that's all in the past. An' I see Stitch's back t'normal. Good."

"Eh." He replied with a grateful smile.

"Hey Bo?" Lilo piped.

"¿Qué?"

"There's…one thing I don't get."

"And that is?"

"I was sure Stitch was The True Hearted…but it was me. And I don't get why." Bo put a hand to his chin, looking Lilo over. Then, he noticed the headband in her hand.

"Ah…I thin'I get it." He took the book in his hands and opened it up with precision. He then kneeled down, took the headband from Lilo and, put it on it on her. "A werewolf, but not quite; one who is able to change at will." He read, and took the mask away. "When the desire is great, he…" Bo paused, and let out a hearty chuckle. "_She_ with a True Heart," he looked at Lilo, "will come to dispel the curse for all." The book shut with an ancient _thomp_ and Bo watched as she slowly understood. He smiled, and handed her the book.

"Here, you keep it." He said.

"Why? I can't read it. And besides, won't you want to read it later?"

"You can now; the curse is gone, so the book is actually readable by all now." She looked to make sure. "An' even if t'were still in scribbles, with the way you read those words last night, I don'think it woulda mattered. You took a glance at those letters for five seconds and spoke 'em like you knew 'em all yer life. I scrut'nized at those same letters for five _years _an' never got one-a the dang things translated." He smiled and tousled her hair.

"An' I don't need to read that thing to remember what's gone on," he added, "Besides; I'd rather give it to you in case you forget. Then you can read it and remember all about how you saved Stitch, me…and all the other poor souls out there…" He paused, and mused over his words. "You did good kiddo. I thank ya." She watched as he picked up the last of his things, and headed out the bedroom door. They followed him eagerly down the stairs, and saw him off at the front door. That was the last that Lilo and Stitch had ever seen Carlos Lo Bo.

"Well, Halloween's over so you know what's next!" Exclaimed the cheery of voice of 625 as he strung up a few wreaths.

"What on this filthy planet are you doing?" Gantu snapped lowly.

"Decorating for Christmas, duh." Gantu growled and left the room, mumbling under his breath. 625 picked up another wreathe and tried to get it onto a place that was a bit too out-of-reach for him. He jumped up a few times, but his weight was more than apparent. "Guess I'll have to use the ol' scaling technique." He said, letting loose his lower set of arms. However, he noticed, after putting up the wreath, that something was missing. He stared at his lower left palm. "That stain's finally gone." He said to himself. "Still never found out where it came from." He thought for a minute, and then shrugged. "Too much work; I need a sandwich break." With that he hopped down from the chair, and went into the kitchen.

**Atichura…**

**Igabata**

**(The End…**

**This time for real)**


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